Tilted
by purpleC305
Summary: The universe seemed to be spinning out of control. For one it was heartache and the unknown, for the other it was just a job. HEA. Edward/Bella. **Meet the Mate Contest entry** -COMPLETE
1. Prologue - The Perfect Storm

_The Perfect Storm by Brad Paisley _

_She's the thrill of a lifetime a guy like me spends his_

 _whole life looking for_

 _That girl right there's the perfect storm_

* * *

Prologue

Lightning streaked across the sky, the clouds looking more threatening with each minute.

She leaned against the floor to ceiling window and traced a heart on the glass as she watched him stride across the courtyard with purposeful steps.

She smiled and dimmed the lights; loosening the belt to her robe and exposing her cleavage, hoping he would like the surprise. With her right foot propped against the window, revealing her freshly waxed leg, she watched the door, her heartbeat increasing in tempo.

Rain began to pelt against the window.

The lock clicked, the door opened without a creak and a silent sigh escaped her lips. He was so beautiful and he was hers.

Home.

He put his briefcase by the door and placed his mail on the counter. God, he missed her. One more day and she'd be back in his arms.

Where she belonged.

He loosened his tie and turned to look out the window at the approaching thunderstorm. It matched his mood perfectly.

Dark, angry and destructive.

His fingers paused on the top button of his shirt, frozen at the beautiful sight in front of him.

"Hi," she whispered quietly.

The weight on his shoulders dropped at the sound of her voice and he strode across the room to his beautiful angel dressed in white.

Her back straightened against the window, her heart hammering in her chest. She knew that look on her lover's face.

Possessive.

His lips caught her gasp and he lifted her hips, securing her legs around his waist and pushing her back against the window with a thud. The cold glass pressed against her back, but she barely felt it, concentrating as his lips erased the past few days from her mind.

Normally, he would be worried about hurting her, but he was lost in her taste, her smell, and softness.

His tongue stroked hers and dominated her mouth, licking and sucking on her soft lips. His large fingers squeezed her rounded curves and she bucked her hips against his hardening cock.

With a moan, he flexed his body into hers, which sent a jolt of pleasure down her spine, he drew back, dropping a soft kiss to her wet, swollen lips.

"You're here."

She smiled and caressed his stubble-covered cheek. "I am."

His smoldering green eyes traveled down her face to her cleavage and to her legs wrapped around his hips. Fuck, he loved the view.

"I couldn't wait," she whispered and kissed his cheek. Her fingers began to open his shirt, exposing his chiseled chest to her hungry eyes.

She moaned and his eyes snapped back to hers. "I'm glad, because neither could I. Fuck, I love you."

Isabella pushed his shirt off his shoulders and lightly ran her fingernails across his torso, sending a shiver through his body.

He needed her.

He needed her like the air he breathed.

She moaned his name as she undid his belt. "I love you, too. Now, please..."

She didn't need to finish, his need for her pushing against the zipper of his pants. He yanked her robe open, thanking every god in the universe that she was naked underneath.

"Beautiful," he whispered softly. She always would be.

Reaching into his opened trousers, he grabbed his cock and gave it a squeeze in reassurance before running it across her wet folds.

Kissing her lips once more, his green eyes met her brown ones. "Baby, I promise to love you properly later, but now I need to fuck you. I've missed you too damn much."

She pushed her hips towards him, and the tip of his cock slid into her entrance. His neck strained and he fought against the urge to press forward. But he needed her consent.

Her fingers yanked on his hair and she bit his lower lip. "Fuck me. Fuck me hard. I need you."

His hips thrust forward, burying himself in her wet heat with a loud groan. Isabella's legs tightened around his waist and her teeth sunk into his shoulder, masking her scream of pleasure.

She was so full. Sex with this beautiful man felt as if it was the first time, every time. He stretched her and filled her like no one ever had.

She loved it.

His tongue fucked her mouth like his cock was fucking her pussy.

Dominant and powerful.

"So tight. So fucking good," He groaned and leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes watching his cock slide into her heat. Her pert breasts jostled with their movement and he latched on to her tightened bud, licking and sucking as if he was dying of thirst.

"I'm so close," she moaned, watching him disappear inside her.

His movements began to quicken and his fingers circled her clit. Isabella shook in his arms, her mouth open and her wide eyes on his.

"I've got you," he moaned, his orgasm reaching its peak. "Always."

With their lips joined, they fell over the edge together, holding on to one another like their life depended on it. They clung to each other, sighing in contentment as their breathing relaxed from their intense orgasms.

Sliding to the carpeted floor, he buried his nose in her soft hair and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "God, I missed you."

Her lips touched the pulse point on his neck. "I missed you, too. But it's over now. No more trips without you. Agreed?"

He chuckled and ran his fingertips over her temple and down her cheek, cupping her neck. "Agreed," he whispered against her lips.

He'd agree to anything when it came to her.

He carried her through his apartment and into his bathroom, setting her on the counter as he ran the water. He could feel her eyes on him as he moved about the room and he smiled, loving her attention.

With her back to his, they settled into the warm water. Edward held her close, stroking her arms and kissing her exposed neck.

She sighed and sank further into his arms. "It was eight months ago that we met, so today is some sort of anniversary for us. And remember it was thundering that night, too. And when you touched my hand, I felt a shock. I blamed it on the weather."

He tensed, the previous months not forgotten. "I ..."

She turned to face him. "We're past all that. Please forgive yourself."

His eyes squeezed shut. "I'm trying, but you have to know how much I wish I could go back; back to when I first met you and make it right."

Her soft hand stroked his cheek. "But, then we wouldn't have met. And you do make it righg. Your love is enough."

"You were so beautiful, yet so broken, so vulnerable, so lost, and I took advantage. God, I can't believe I fell for those lies. I thought you were going to be so easy to crush. But …"

"You had no way of knowing." She shuddered at the thought and he held her tighter.

"And don't forget you literally saved me from that oncoming car. That proved to me you were a good man. Maybe a good man with a horrible job, but again, you were doing what you were paid to do."

He let out the breath he was holding and thought back to that fateful day, six months ago. He remembered the rain, the thunder, the way the light fell on her hair making the color seem so perfect. He remembered her eyes; scared; like a deer in the headlights. And he remembered the shock he felt when he grabbed her arm.

He broke out of his musing, nodded and kissed her lips. "Thank you, for your love and forgiveness. I will spend the rest of my life making you happy."

Relaxing again, she thought back to when she met her match.

The man that she loved.

The man who possessed her mind, body and most importantly, her heart.

-T-T-T-

-many months ago-

 _"Please come, Bella. It would be so good to see you again. I miss you. The kids miss you. fuck, even the island misses you."_

 _Isabella rubbed her forehead and giggled, placing her glasses on her desk. "Lauren, did you just cuss?"_

 _Hopefully, that would distract her best friend of fifteen years. Isabella remembered those days well when her mother wasn't sure of herself. Renee had dragged Isabella all around the states, saying that the next place would be the '_ one _'._

 _The place they could call home._

 _Luckily for Isabella, after the seventh time moving, her mother had found the 'right one.'_

 _Hawaii, of all places._

 _It wasn't that Bella didn't like the islands._

 _Sunshine every day._

 _Beautiful beaches and breathtaking lush green sceneries._

 _It was paradise._

 _There was one thing missing though…_

 _Her father._

 _Whereas her mother flitted from one place to another, looking for ... something, her father was grounded._

 _Down to earth._

 _Even though the thought of fish disgusted her, Isabella's fondest memories were of the days her dad would sit in the boat with her all day with only the quiet and the fish surrounding them._

 _She missed her father. He had passed not too long ago, leaving a big gaping hole in her heart._

 _Isabella rubbed her chest, the ache still strong after three years. She looked at his smiling picture on her desk when Lauren's voice broke through her memories._

 _"Honey, this is the only time I can cuss. The kids are in school and Tyler is at work," she laughed._

 _Isabella smiled. "How is Tyler?"_

 _Her friend on the other end of the line tsked. She knew that Lauren was probably sporting a bitch brow and wagging her finger. "Isabella Marie. Don't change the subject."_

 _Isabella squeezed her eyes shut, a smile on her lips. "Damn."_

 _"Uh, huh, I know you too well. Now, I'm gonna RSVP us both to the reunion and that way you will have to come."_

 _"You know why I can't. And even if I would come, don't you remember what happened senior year? Prom? Does Smelly Belly ring a bell?" Isabella twisted the fabric of the dress she was currently working on, hating how she felt when she thought about it._

 _Lauren sighed. "I remember, but it's been ten years. You look amazing and you know as well as I do that you need this. You need the sun. You need a breather. You need to relax."_

 _Isabella decided that it didn't matter what everyone else thought. She missed her friend and the island. Besides, it would give her an opportunity to think about and plan her future._

 _"All right, fine. I miss you too damn much to say no to you."_

 _Lauren squealed the way only she could, and for the next hour they discussed dresses, their classmates and what they would do during their time together. By the time Isabella got off the phone, she had a flight booked to Honolulu and hope in her heart._

 _Three days later, she landed in Honolulu, embracing her friend with tears in her eyes._

 _-T-T-T-_

 _Arm in arm, Lauren and Isabella walked into the decorated gym. Isabella's stomach twisted, the memories of senior prom hitting her with full force. She took a deep breath, grasped Lauren's arm a little tighter and squared her shoulders._

 _She could do this. The past was the past._

 _Lauren felt her unease and patted her hand. "It'll be fine. I'm right here." She leaned in close to Isabella, "And maybe if things go right, you might get some loving in while you're here."_

 _Isabella gasped. "Lauren!"_

 _Her friend looked her in the eye. "Well, why not? When was the last time you got some good, curl your toes, make you scream, loving?"_

 _Isabella cleared her throat and looked over at the group, ashamed of her answer._

 _Lauren pulled Isabella to the side and hugged her close. "I know you're afraid, but it'll get better. Trust me. Just promise me to keep your mind open. Not every man is like that."_

 _Isabella nodded against her friend's shoulder and blinked away her tears. She had promised herself not to cry. In a few weeks, it would all be over. "I know and I won't be this mellow the entire time. I won't do that to you."_

 _Lauren smiled. "I know. You're in Hawaii of all places. Some people would kill to be in your shoes right now." She cleared her throat, "Well, you know what I mean."_

 _Isabella nodded and steered Lauren over to the greeting table to get their nametags. Tyler met them at the door and kissed Lauren lovingly on the cheeks, causing Lauren to blush. Isabella averted her eyes, her heart painfully squeezing in her chest._

 _"Aloha and welcome back class of 2004," Alice Brandon cheered._

 _Isabella always liked her. She was cheery and always wore funky clothes. She had admired that about her. They had been friends during high school but had lost touch after graduation._

 _Alice looked at the lovely brunette with glasses framing her delicate brown eyes._

 _"Bella?"_

 _Isabella nodded and embraced her long lost friend. "It's so good to see you, Ali. How have you been?"_

 _Alice drew back and grasped Isabella's hands in hers. "My God, you look fabulous. So jealous of your hair, by the way."_

 _Isabella blushed and ran a hand over her hair. Alice had not changed. Still all over the place. "Thank you; I'm loving your dress."_

 _Alice looked down at her pink knee-length dress and twirled around. "Thanks, I made it myself."_

 _"I can tell," Isabella laughed. "It looks incredible."_

 _"Well, well, well, if it isn't Smelly Belly."_

 _Isabella knew that nasally voice instantly, and she cringed. She had hoped they would have forgotten. She squared her shoulders and turned to face her bully from high school, Angela Weber._

 _Angela was a local, whereas Bella was from the mainland and her complexion was lighter than Angela's. From grade ten through their senior year; it had been Angela's mission to make Isabella's life miserable. To shun the new girl._

 _"Angela, how have you been?"_

 _Angela ran her eyes over Isabella's body from head to toe, sneering at her dress. "I see you still haven't changed. Still have those ugly glasses and wearing those dreaded clothes, I see."_

 _"Thanks. Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment." She motioned to Angela's barely there dress, "And you haven't changed either. Are you still hoping that the captain of the football team will notice you?"_

 _Angela's eyes narrowed and she stepped closer to Isabella. "Well, at least I won't look like a pimple-faced ferret in front of my peers. Tell me, how is Ben?"_

 _Isabella's breath halted as memories of senior prom assaulted her. Ben had been Isabella's prom date. She had felt so smitten that he had asked her and had put a lot of time and effort into making the right dress. Alice and Lauren had helped, gushing over how cute Ben was and how lucky she was._

 _It was all false._

 _Ben had only asked her out because of a dare put on my Angela. It had been her final plot to shatter Isabella and it had worked. While her entire class had laughed at her, she had fled the school with tears streaming down her face._

 _She never looked back._

 _Lauren stepped in front of Isabella and pushed her manicured finger against Angela's chest. "Leave her alone, you two-faced tramp."_

 _"Or what? She can't handle a little trip back down memory lane?"_

 _Isabella felt boxed in. This was one reason she was afraid of coming back to her reunion. She did not have pimples anymore, but she still wore glasses. She had lost the braces, but still made her own clothes. She hadn't changed that much, she surmised._

 _She touched Lauren's arm. "Don't do this. It's okay, I'm good."_

 _Angela cackled. "Still the little mousy girl, aren't you?"_

 _Lauren's fists clenched, but Isabella grabbed her arm. "Let it go, she's not worth it."_

 _"Are you sure? You know I would love to give her a blue eye."_

 _"I'm sure. In fact, you go on in and dance with your husband. I will just freshen up and join you."_

 _Angela huffed and turned on her heel. She would corner Smelly Belly later and show her who was still the boss. She laughed to herself as she entered the gym and searched for Ben._

 _Isabella had no desire to go back into the gym as she looked between the exit doors and the gym doors. Whichever way she went, she had difficult choices to make. In the gym, there was Angela probably waiting to finish her off, and if she left, she had to make some difficult decisions about her future._

 _She made up her mind, sighed deeply, and took the exit doors. This was far more difficult, but it needed to be done._

 _The sky was overcast and the air humid. In the distance, she heard thunder indicating a storm in the near future. It was ironic, really, because she knew there was a storm approaching in her life, too and she knew it would bring far more damage than this thunderstorm._

 _She looked up at the darkening clouds and took a step onto the street. A horn honked. In addition, tires squealed, but she froze, watching the car approaching her at what seemed to be lightning speed._

 _Her eyes squeezed shut and she waited for the inevitable._

 _A strong grip around her upper arm and she was yanked back onto the sidewalk into a hard chest._

 _She gasped, her heart beating in overtime as she held onto the shirt of her savior._

 _"Are you okay?" A honeyed, yet manly voice asked very close to her ear._

 _She attempted to nod against the musky smell of the man's chest. He stroked her upper arms and she noticed that she was still holding onto his biceps. One by one, she managed to move her fingers and she released him._

 _Stepping back, she looked into his mesmerizing green eyes. They reflected the mossy, lush scenery of the island and she smiled. They were beautiful. His nose was straight and she stifled her gasp when she saw his full, wet, kissable lips._

'Would it be inappropriate to give him a kiss of thanks _,' she wondered._

 _"I'm fine. Thank you." She was amazed she could still speak in his presence. He was just that beautiful._

 _He smiled a crooked smile and she nearly melted at his feet. "You know the rule is that you have to look both ways before crossing a street, right?"_

 _She felt heat pool in her cheeks and stepped back. "I know."_

 _His head tilted to one side as he observed her. She wanted to run her fingers through his messy hair and brush it away from his eyes._

'That wouldn't be inappropriate at all,' _she surmised._

 _"Where was your head, what were you thinking?" The handsome stranger asked._

 _She looked over her shoulder at the mocking doors of the school and then at the dark clouds. "Somewhere between those doors and the sky," she confessed, pointing in each direction._

 _He laughed, a deep rumbling sound and she smiled at him. His taut muscles bulged through the fabric of his gray T-shirt and the beige cargo pants he wore, hung low on his hips. In his left hand, he held a camera._

 _Isabella wrung her hands together and took a step back. "Thank you again. I'll make sure to look both ways next time."_

 _She turned to leave, taking two steps when the beautiful stranger's voice rang in her ears. "I'm Edward, by the way."_

 _Isabella turned to see him approaching with his hand outstretched. She took it, and as his fingers closed over hers, she couldn't contain her gasp this time. It was as if an electric current was traveling from their joined hands, across her arms and down her spine._

 _In confusion, she yanked her hand back and smoothed it over her hair. It must have been the storm. Lots of electrical currents in the air. It was the only thing that made sense._

 _Edward's wide eyes met hers. She cleared her throat, "I'm Isabella."_

 _"Nice to meet you, Isabella."_

 _Her name on his lips was pure honey and for a split moment, everything around her ceased to exist. Every problem back home, Angela; gone._

 _Vanished._

 _Isabella could only see Edward._

 _She cleared her throat, "You too, Edward."_

 _Thunder clapped overhead, causing her to jump. The sky opened up and rain began to pour down, wetting the streets and the two people facing each other, looking into each other's eyes._

 _Isabella blinked away the raindrops on her lashes and wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. "I should go. Thank you again, Edward. You saved my life."_

 _She turned to leave, but Edward's hand covered hers. "Let me give you a ride."_

 _"Oh no, that's okay. I'll just get a cab."_

 _His hand squeezed hers gently, not letting go. "Please." He pointed to the car they were standing near, his hair plastered to his forehead. "It's right here."_

 _She looked at his car and then back to him, contemplating the idea of entering a vehicle with a stranger. He seemed nice enough and he had pulled her from the street._

 _She nodded and he smiled, opening the passenger door for her. She settled into the leather seat and took a lungful of his intoxicating scent, which permeated the entire car._

 _He was a nice smelling man._

 _Edward closed the passenger door and sighed. It had gone differently than planned, but somehow, he liked this way better. His eyes raked over Isabella, sitting in his car and he took a shaky breath._

 _This was breaking so many rules, but right now, he didn't care._

 _Walking around the back, he slid his phone from his pocket and dialed the number. With his eyes squeezed shut, he yanked on his wet locks._

 _He hated himself right now._

 _"Yeah, it's me._

 _I have an update."_

* * *

 **What did you think of their first meeting?**

 **What do you think Edward is up to?**

 **Any guesses? I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas.**

 **A/N: PLEASE READ!**

 **Hello friends, Edward and Bella lover's. I'm so glad you're here to join me in my new story.**

 **This is the longest a/n I'll post for this story, but please read it. This was my o/s to the Meet the Mate Contest. It didn't win, but I still had fun participating and with the extra time, I got a lot chapter pre-written for this story.**

 **This story will touch on the subject of spousal abuse, physical and emotional, and if that is a trigger for you, please do not read. I do not take the subject lightly and hope that you won't either.**

 **It will be HEA, that I promise you. Updates will be once a week, Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on my RL schedule.**

 **So, with that, my biggest thanks goes to Fran for her tremendous help with this entry. You have truly helped me with my writing.**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, winterhorses and Hopesparkles are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

 **Y'all can find me on Facebook: Chrissie Purple. Stop by, say hello and for teasers each week.**

 **I hope you'll enjoy this story as much as I am enjoying writing it.**

 **XOXOXO**


	2. Collide

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight.  
**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes.**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, winterhorses and Hopesparkles are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _Collide_ _by Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock_

 _Lost and lonely, scared and confused_

 _We both have a past, nothing to lose, tonight_

Chapter 1

The day following the reunion, Isabella sat on a soft recliner soaking her aching feet in warm water. Lauren and Alice were sitting to her right also getting a pedicure. Isabella breathed deeply and relaxed into the chair, listening to her friends chatter about the events of last night.

Soft, classical music played in the background and the laughter of children rang in the air as they played in the pool at the resort. The waves of the ocean could also be heard in the distance. The storm had long passed and had given way to warm sunshine, bathing the island in a warm glow.

It was a beautiful morning.

After getting back to her hotel room last night, courtesy of Edward, the handsome stranger, Isabella sent a text to Lauren telling her that she wasn't feeling well and was going to sleep.

Unfortunately, thoughts of Edward made that almost impossible.

Therefore, sleep hadn't come easily.

She had stood by the window overlooking the ocean and watched strike after strike of lightening reach the ground. With each bolt of light, she flinched. In a way, she knew this was what she could expect when she got home.

 _Home._

It hadn't been home in a while.

Isabella's head turned to Alice, the action distracting her from the thoughts that were sure to follow.

"What happened to you last night?" Alice's piercing blue eyes showed a mix of curiosity and worry. "You know, I could have had Angela escorted out by security for harassing you."

Isabella laughed at the dark look on Alice's face. "Thank you, but as I told Lauren, I just wasn't feeling well. How was the reunion?"

Lauren and Alice exchanged giggles.

"You should have seen the queen get hers," Lauren said covering her mouth with her palm.

At this, Isabella raised her eyebrows, curiosity nipping at her insides. "What?"

Alice gave her a mischievous side-glance and took a small, casual sip of her Diet Coke. "I accidently tripped and spilled punch all over Angela's dress."

Isabella gasped, "You didn't!"

Alice erupted into a fit of giggles. "Yes, I did, and I'm not sorry. She had it coming."

The three women laughed and Isabella enjoyed the freeing sensation it gave her. She hadn't laughed this way a while. Taking a sip of her mango punch, she watched the esthetician paint her toes lime green with a yellow flower on the big toe.

Lauren observed her friend.

Isabella had a smile on her face that Lauren hadn't seen in a while. Her fists clenched, wanting to do ... something for her friend and her messed up situation. She hated it but respected Isabella's wishes when she said that she could handle it herself.

-T-T-T-

The breeze was light and refreshing on Isabella's skin. She sat, her arms exposed to the sun and her hair twirling in the wind. The salad had been light and was just enough to fill her until supper.

Lauren smiled at both her friends, watching Isabella listen intently as Alice sat perched on her chair, explaining a new boutique that just opened a few blocks from the resort.

"You should come by and show my boss your designs, Bella. She'd love them," Alice said bouncing slightly; she was just so excited.

Isabella's mood darkened, but she tampered it with a smile. "Thank you, Alice, but I'm not sure that's a good idea."

Alice's bouncing stopped and her smile fell, her expression again becoming worried. She knew something wasn't right in Isabella's life. She could tell by the dark circles surrounding her friend's eyes, but she didn't want to pry. If Isabella wanted to tell her, she would.

"Why not?" Alice asked. "Your designs are incredible! They should we worn by people around the world."

Isabella smiled and sat forward in her chair, grasping Alice's hand in hers. "Thank you, really. Thank you, but I'm just not ready to show them to anyone. Please understand that."

"I do," Alice chirped and squeezed Isabella's hand. "But when you do, please call me first."

"I will," Isabella, laughed. "And who knows, it may be sooner than later."

For the rest of the afternoon, the ladies spent reminiscing of old times. They laughed, and as the sun set over the west coast, they promised each other to stay in touch.

-T-T-T-

Alice left, excited about her date with her boyfriend, Jasper. She pouted a little as she admitted that he had been secretive the entire week, not giving her a hint about where he was taking her, but she was excited nonetheless.

Isabella walked Lauren to her car. It had been a fun day. She felt relaxed, the constant worry and stress hadn't been on her mind today and she loved it. However, nighttime was coming and all those uncertanties would come back.

Dread crept up her spine.

Lauren hugged her friend. "Are you sure you're going to be okay? You know you could always tag along."

Isabella patted Lauren's back. "And what? Be the third wheel?" She laughed. "You've been looking forward to this weekend alone with Tyler for some time now and I'm not going to ruin that for you."

"You wouldn't. I'm sure Tyler will be fine with it." Lauren reached for her phone, insistent on calling her husband and changing their plans. They could pick up their kids from her in-laws and spend the rest of the weekend with Isabella.

Isabella stopped her. "No. I made a reservation at the restaurant down the beach. They have a local band playing and I'm looking forward to it."

Biting her lip, Lauren observed Isabella cautiously. "Have you heard anything?"

On cue, Isabella's face fell, but she recovered quickly. "Nothing important."

It was dismissive, but Isabella didn't want to get into it now. The fact was, nothing had changed. The voice mail had caused a nervous churning in her stomach and she had deleted it with trembling fingers.

Her phone was now off, stashed at the bottom of her suitcase back in her room. She had no plans of turning it on again anytime soon.

Though, she knew she would check it again at some point.

Her thoughts drifted to Edward as she watched her friend drive away. She wondered what he was doing and if he was thinking of her as she was of him.

Isabella liked thinking of him.

He was safe and gave her happy thoughts if not erotic ones. Last night in the shower, she had pictured him with her.

Wet.

Naked.

Touching her.

Her orgasm had been intense and slightly embarrassing. Why was she getting off to a man that she didn't even know?

She had only met him once.

A stranger, for God's sake.

Nevertheless, he was a damn good-looking stranger.

-T-T-T-

The sun was just starting to set and the band was playing on the makeshift platform. Isabella sipped her Merlot slowly, enjoying the atmosphere and the easy music. She was seated further to the back of the beach, overlooking the other patrons, but she liked it this way.

Isolated.

Observing.

Her eyes wandered around the people who were laughing and smiling. She watched an elderly couple kiss and she smiled. She took it all in; the ocean in the background as the waves clapped to shore, the palm trees swaying in the wind and the laughter of the other patrons rang in her ear.

Her eyes stopped on a nervous fellow who was busy wiping the sweat from his brow as his girlfriend chatted, making wild hand gestures.

 _He's proposing,_ she thought.

The young man caught the woman's hand in his and spoke softly to her. The woman gasped, and from her vantage point, Isabella, watched him open the small blue velvet box, exposing a beautiful ring.

Isabella's throat closed.

A lone tear rolled down her cheek and she swiped it away before it fell to the table.

Quickly averting her eyes, she heard Edward's soft voice behind her.

"Isabella?"

Isabella cleared her throat and turned to him. "Edward."

He stepped closer, his green eyes never leaving hers. "Hi."

Edward's eyes swept across her face. The dark circles under her eyes were still present but had lessened. Her hair was up and small tendrils hung loosely around her face.

She was stunning.

Isabella couldn't look away from his clean-shaven face. His hair was neatly combed and styled, and he wore khaki pants and a light blue dress shirt.

 _So handsome,_ she thought.

His eyes were clear and the most beautiful shade of mossy green she had ever seen. She had dreamt about those eyes last night.

Edward kept coming closer and Isabella's breath hitched. There was that manly, musky smell again. She wanted to close her eyes and bury her nose in his shirt.

The rest of the world around them disappeared and like last night, they only saw each other. Edward's finger trailed down her cheek, pushing her hair behind her ear.

She leaned into his touch.

"Take a walk with me?" His voice was smooth as honey to her ears.

With her lip wedged between her teeth, she nodded. She didn't care about the repercussions of what was to follow.

She only acted on instinct.

And her instinct told her to go.

To trust.

Edward took her hand and led her down the small stone pathway to the beach. Isabella noticed that Edward had a rather large bag in his right hand.

His eyes followed hers and he smiled at her as he steered her along the beach. It didn't go unnoticed that her hand fit perfectly in his and that he liked it, much more than he should.

Letting go of her hand, he opened the bag slightly. "Camera and tripod, among other things. My goal is to photograph the stars tonight."

This intrigued her and she looked to the darkening sky. "How can you do that? Usually when it's dark, my camera doesn't take good pictures. They're blurry." Her nose scrunched in distaste.

He laughed and her heart skipped a beat. Her hands fisted the skirt of her sundress as she watched his bemused expression.

"That's true. You need a special camera." He pointed to his bag, "Like this one. I can manipulate the shutter to stay open longer, taking a longer picture."

"And the tripod?" She asked, not entirely sure what he meant, but intrigued.

Edward pulled her to a stop. "That's where I'll mount the camera. That way it won't move when it takes the picture. I'll show you the end result. You'll love it."

He put his bag down and kneeled on the sand, taking her foot in his hand. "It's best to walk barefoot. The sand is so nice and warm this time of the day." He smiled up at her, "I'm sure the sand in your sandals isn't comfortable either."

Isabella braced her hands on his shoulders, feeling his strong muscles move beneath her fingertips. Her skin tingled where he touched her foot.

 _This felt ... different._

 _Different but good._

"There," Edward proclaimed, rising to his full height. "Now you're free."

How those simple words could affect her so much, she didn't know.

She wanted to be free.

Longed for it.

Yearned for it.

"Thank you," she said, feeling her cheeks warm.

He smiled, his hand rising to touch her blushing cheeks, his heart skipping a beat when her eyes fluttered.

-T-T-T-

On the boardwalk that led to the water, Edward helped Isabella get settled, her bare feet dangling over the edge and her toes touching the water, before retrieving his camera and setting up the tripod.

The sun had just set and the sky was a perfect shade of dark orange and red, blending into dark blue and finally black. The first stars were starting to make an appearance in the vast skies. Edward smiled as he set up his camera on the tripod. These pictures would be great.

But the beautiful woman by his side as company, that was his favorite part.

Whatever was making Isabella sad, he wanted to erase that and make her smile. Make her see the beauty he saw.

Isabella watched Edward move, fascinated, by the way his muscles rippled and moved underneath his shirt. Every now and then, he would sweep his hair away from his eyes and her fingers twitched where they lay on her thigh to do just that.

"Come here," Edward, said. "I want to show you something."

He helped her to stand by offering his hand, not letting go until she stood behind the camera and he stood close behind her.

His voice was a soft whisper right beside her ear and she shivered. "Look through there." He motioned to the camera and she bent slightly at the knee, peering through the viewfinder. She saw the dark ocean, the million stars littering the sky, but she only felt Him.

He was so close.

Her every sense was focused on him.

"It's beautiful," she whispered.

Isabella turned to Edward.

He was close.

So close.

"It sure is," he murmured; wetting his lips, his fiery green eyes trained on her cherry stained lips.

There was no one around.

The beach was empty.

It was dark and Isabella wanted to taste his lips. Her thighs clenched as the images from last night's shower passed through her mind.

Lauren's words rang through her mind.

' _Maybe get some lov'in while you're here.'_

She stepped closer to Edward, her mind made up. His thumb brushed across her plump lower lip and her eyes fluttered closed.

 _This was it._

He was going to kiss her and she was going to let him.

A car honked in the distance and the couple jumped apart. Isabella's heart raced in her chest and her lips tingled from anticipation. Her trembling fingers brushed across her hair.

 _This was wrong_.

What was happening to her?

Edward cleared his throat; he could see the worry on her face from the war raging inside her head.

She had looked as if she wanted him, but then ... she didn't?

He was such an ass.

Why couldn't he just leave her alone like he had told himself last night after he had dropped her off?

There was something about her, though. Something that pulled at his heartstrings. Edward pushed those thoughts aside as soon as they had entered his mind.

His fingers ran through his hair as he stepped around her to the camera, adjusting the settings and fiddling with the lens. Anything not to turn and crush her lips to his.

He needed to control himself.

Isabella took a seat, her toes again striking the water.

 _She hasn't left,_ he thought to himself smiling. _Yet_. His smile fell. He knew she would. They all did eventually.

Taking a seat beside her, he dragged his bag closer as his hip touched hers. "I don't have much to eat and if you want to leave, you can. This is going to take a while." He pulled out a bottle of Jamaican Rum. "Although, I did bring this."

Isabella's eyes looked between his and the bottle, her lips twitching.

"I'm not sure if you like rum and in that case, I do have a few bottles of water." He dug through his bag once more and took out a blanket.

She giggled beside him. He stopped his ramblings and his ears perked.

"What's so funny?" He asked his lips lifting into a half smirk.

"Nothing. It's ... nothing," she said.

Edward put the bottle and blanket down and turned to face her, his knee brushing hers. If she didn't move away from his touch, neither would he. "Tell me," he asked his voice dropping to a seductive whisper.

Even in the moonlight, he could see her eyes darken. "Please," he added, leaning closer.

Isabella cleared her throat nervously and looked away, once again breaking their spell. "I was just wondering if that bag was a bottomless pit." She laughed nervously.

"Now wouldn't that be nice," he said, chuckling. "Sometimes it seems there isn't enough room in here. I could haul around a suitcase and there still wouldn't be enough space."

This time they both laughed.

It was easy; light.

The awkward tension had dropped and Isabella felt comfortable asking, "So, why take these photos?"

Edward fiddled with the camera and attached a small extension cord to it with a button at the end. "They're for travel magazines, vacation sites. You know, to make this place more appealing to the viewer or potential vacationers." He tapped his temple with his index finger and smiled at her curious face, "Seeing is believing."

She giggled and ran her toes through the water. "So this is your job?"

He took the extension cord and sat back down. "Yes and no. I do what I am paid to do during the day. This," he motioned to the camera, "I do for fun."

Darkness spread in front of them, only the moonlight bouncing off the water. The buzzing of Edward's phone interrupted the silence. He sighed as he looked at the screen, his brows furrowed and he excused himself. Isabella watched him walk along the beach, his body rigid, and his fingers gripping his hair.

Whoever was on the other end made Edward restless.

Isabella had heard the last line, before he ended the call. "I'll contact you once I have something." His teeth gritted and he turned off his phone.

Curiosity nipped at Isabella.

Who was on the other line?

Was he in trouble?

He sat down and sighed deeply, shaking himself out of his sudden sullen mood before he pressed the button and the camera clicked, the shutter opening. "So, Isabella, what is it that you like to do?"

Isabella focused on where her toes waded through the darkening water. "Bella." She looked up to Edward's widened eyes. "Call me Bella. Isabella makes it sound as though I'm a queen from the 18th century."

"Maybe you are a queen," Edward said, his voice dropping a note

She laughed humorlessly. "Oh no. I'm no queen." Her eyes took on that sadness again, but she looked away from him. "Far from it, actually."

"Ok, Bella," he smiled, liking the way her name rolled off his lips and wanting to see her smile again. "What is it that you enjoy?"

"I like…" She hesitated. Did she dare tell him what she liked to do? Did she even know herself?

"Dancing. I like to dance."

"Dancing?" Edward asked, surprised. A vision of her twirling in a bright red dress across a dance floor danced through his mind.

He liked it.

He liked it a lot, especially since he was her dancing partner.

"Yeah, it's so … enticing; relieving. The way the body moves, you can express all your emotions through the dance, without uttering a word."

He hummed and took the cap off the bottle of rum, taking a healthy swig before offering her the bottle. She took it and took a tiny sip, hissing as it burned down her throat.

"Isn't it a little warm to have rum?" Her fingers brushed his as she handed him back the bottle, feeling her entire body warm just from that tiny connection. She was sure she was going to get drunk on _him_ , much faster than on the rum.

"It's a good thing we have an ocean in front of us to cool down," he winked at her.

Her mouth fell open. "You're kidding, right? Swimming at night?"

He took another swig and handed her the bottle, pressing the button on the extension cord again. The camera clicked.

"Well, why not?" He got to his feet and removed his shirt, exposing his chiseled chest.

Saliva pooled in Isabella's mouth.

 _Holy. Fuck_.

 _It should be illegal to look that good,_ right _?_

Edward swept his arm out in front of him. "There's no one around and the water is warm enough and there are no sharks in this area."

He began to undo his belt and Isabella had to look away. She wasn't sure how much she could handle if he continued to take off his clothes. "You're crazy," she said, tipping the bottle back and taking a hefty sip. She needed it if he continued on his course.

She heard a deep chuckle and then a splash. Her head turned to see Edward's head emerging from the water, swiping his hair off his forehead. She looked to his pile of clothes and noted that he was completely naked in the water.

 _Naked._

 _Damn him,_ she thought, heat pooling between her legs.

Edward swam towards her and grabbed her ankle, giving it a tug. "Join me."

His deep voice slid down her spine, igniting a deep desire within her. Suddenly she found herself nodding. With her eyes on his, she stood and untied the sash to her yellow sundress behind her neck. His eyes followed her in slow movement.

 _She felt brave._

Sexy.

"Turn around," she demanded softly.

He did as she asked and she shed her clothes quickly, jumping into the warm water before the doubts could appear.

She was doing it.

Consequences be damned.

She emerged to Edward's smiling face in front of her. "Welcome to the dark side," he drawled, grabbing the rum and taking a sip.

Isabella looked around her, not liking the fact that the water was so dark. Who knew what lurked underneath, besides a very naked man? "Are you sure there are no sharks?"

Edward laughed, pressing the button to his camera again. "I'm sure. Why?" He approached her slowly, a teasing look in his eyes. "Are you scared?"

He disappeared under the water.

Isabella's breathing picked up and she swept her hands about her under the water.

Where did he go?

Something pinched her ankle softly and she shrieked, breaking into a flail and kicking her legs. She spun around. Edward emerged, sputtering water and laughing. "That was priceless."

Isabella glared at him, her mouth open as she brushed her hair away from her eyes. "You!" She swept her hand through the water and sent a splash toward Edward's laughing face.

Edward wiped the water from his eyes. He wasn't laughing anymore. Instead, he glared at her and slowly waded through the water towards her.

Isabella held up her hand, hoping he'd stop, but loving this childish banter. She did not like the glint in his eyes and yet wanted him to come to her. "That's what you get for laughing." She giggled and moved backward as he advanced.

Edward stopped by the dock and took a sip from the rum, eyeing her the entire time. This was going to be fun.

She bit her lip and extended her hand for the rum.

Instead of giving it to her, he put it back on the dock and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him and splashing water on her with his other hand. She squirmed and giggled, trying to grab his relentless hand.

He laughed with her, his camera and the project forgotten.

Damn, she was gorgeous when she laughed.

His arm snaked around her waist and secured her to him. Her laughs died and so did his as their eyes communicating something different. Her warm, naked body against his as he pressed her back against the boardwalk poles.

Isabella's body tingled.

She could feel him everywhere.

Everywhere!

The hard muscles of his arms flexed beneath her fingertips. Her eyes searched his face.

His eyes had darkened, focusing intently on her lips before looking into hers. There was a vulnerability there she hadn't seen before. Her fingers brushed the back of his neck and his eyes fluttered.

"Tell me to stop," he whispered, his lips a breath away from hers. He smelled of rum, ocean, and Edward. "Tell me to stop!"

It was a plea that washed away with the gentle waves as his lips brushed hers.

"No," she whispered, wrapping her arms more tightly around his broad shoulders.

Edward's groan rushed through her as his lips pressed fully against hers.

It was slow, steady and heart stopping all at the same time. He shifted and she gasped, giving him entry, which he took greedily. His tongue sought out hers, massaging and teasing.

Isabella was consumed by him.

His taste … Rum and honey, the warmth as his body pressed against hers was so delicious. She moaned deep in her throat as Edward's large hand slid down her neck, over her shoulders and down her sides, brushing her tightened nipple.

His hips pressed more firmly and she felt him hard and thick against her lower stomach. Her fingers gripped his hair. She wanted to wrap her legs around his waist, to feel him fill her.

Edward gripped her waist and kissed down her throat. He lifted her up and sat her down on the boardwalk. Following closely, he lifted himself up and crawled over her body.

With hungry eyes, Isabella watched the water run down Edward's body, licking her lips and making him groan. Her eyes met his. Tentatively, she reached up and brushed his hair from his eyes, gripping the back of his neck and bringing his lips back to hers.

Bracing one hand beside her head to keep his weight off, his fingers slid over her tightened peak again, making her back arch into his touch. He rolled it between his fingers, his tongue mimicking the movement in her mouth. She moaned again and gripped his arms, digging her nails into his flesh.

Her body felt as if it was on fire.

Kissing down her neck and across her chest, he listened to her rushed breathing. _He was doing this to her._ Cupping the back of her knee, he lifted her leg over his waist.

He grunted.

He could feel her wetness on the tip of his cock. Squeezing his eyes shut to control himself, he kissed back up to her mouth. Her eyes were open and searching his.

Pausing, he looked at her.

There was no hesitation.

She wanted this just as much as he did.

He grabbed his bag and the blanket, which he pushed underneath her. Reaching into a side pocket, he took out a condom he had stashed there a while ago, ripping the foil and sheathing himself.

Isabella wrapped her legs around him, keeping her eyes on his. His pupils were dilated, his lips swollen and pink from her kisses. Water droplets fell from his hair onto her chest.

He was gorgeous.

She embraced him as he leaned forward again, kissing her cheek and then her lips. Feeling him at her entrance, her breath hitched. She tightened her legs around his waist.

Slowly, he slid into her.

She gasped, her mouth open and her heart thundering in her chest.

He groaned, leaning his forehead against her chest.

She was so fucking tight.

He was big—bigger then she'd ever had before, stretching her, filling her and bringing her to life.

"Oh my god," she moaned, feeling him everywhere.

Edward's eyes met hers as he withdrew and pushed back in, making her moan again. His head fell forward and he sucked her nipple into her mouth. Her back arched, pushing herself into his hungry mouth. His thrusts sped up, his cock hitting a hidden spot deep inside her.

The sensation started to build in her belly and spread across her back and raced down her spine. She held onto him tighter with each movement, afraid it would only be a dream when it ended.

As if he felt the desperation in her body, he kissed up her chest and poured all his desperate emotions into the kiss. Her walls fluttered around him.

He groaned, "I've got you."

Isabella's eyes snapped open and met his as the first waves of her orgasm ripped through her. Her mouth fell open in a silent scream.

Edward sped up his movements, feeling his balls tighten. He wanted – no needed – to jump off that cliff with her.

Gripping her thigh, he pushed deeper into her, the pleasure ripping through him.

"Oh. Oh God," Isabella moaned beneath him, feeling him come undone. Her fingers dug into his forearms and she leaned up to capture his lips.

His movements slowed and eventually stopped, resting his forehead against hers. He kissed her a few times, both silent, reveling in the afterglow.

They dressed silently, stealing glances and small smiles. Edward slung his massive bag over his shoulder and they walked side-by-side back to where they came. With their pinkies entwined, they walked along the beach back to their respective hotels.

Outside Isabella's hotel, Edward turned to her. "Can I call you?"

She bit her lip. "Call my room. 415."

He nodded and kissed her lips once more. "Thank you."

She smiled. "Thank you for an incredible evening." He tilted his head in acknowledgment and with a smile that warmed her insides, he walked away.

Turning, she went back to her room and showered, hating to wash off his scent. With her hair wrapped in a towel, she plugged in her phone, knowing what was waiting for her.

Tonight, for a few hours, she had felt freer and more wanted than she had in a long time and knew she would do it again in a heartbeat.

She hoped with all her might he would call.

Consequences be fucking damned.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, that happened. What are you thoughts on Bella's actions? Or Edward's, for that matter?  
**

 **I'd love to hear from you.**

 **If I didn't respond to your review, I am sorry. I try to get to those, but RL has been busy lately. Please know that I appreciate and love each one. You guys are the best.**

 **Enjoy the update and I'll see you back here next week. I'm heading out on the road again until October 1st or 2nd. Be safe and be happy.**


	3. Get to me

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, winterhorses and Hopesparkles are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _G_ _et to me_ _by Lady Antebellum_  
 _Pull me in, hold me tight, love me and carry me away  
Like there's no more tomorrows' and no more yesterdays_

Chapter 2

"How was last night?" Isabella munched on sliced fruit and watched Lauren flit around her kitchen, preparing for the burgers they were having. Outside, her two boys ran around the backyard, screaming and throwing water balloons at each other. She saw Tyler shake his head with a smile as he prepared the grill.

The sun was bright and Isabella was glad that she had remembered her sunscreen this morning. Mind you, her morning hadn't been like the rest she had gotten used to.

This morning, she had woken from a peaceful sleep, stretching her arms over her head with a lazy, blissed-out smile on her face as she felt the soreness between her legs. The previous night rushed through her mind; the swimming, the giggles and laughter, along with the best sex she'd had in a long time.

Her smile had fallen once she had seen her fully charged phone and the ten missed calls along with ten voicemails, each one becoming more harsh and threatening. After listening to the fifth voicemail, she hadn't been able to turn it off fast enough. Even the long, hot shower she had taken hadn't soothed her trembling fingers or eased her troubled mind.

Not even the memories of Edward and their night together had helped.

Reminding herself that she still had a few days to herself, she had put on a pair of Daisy Duke shorts along with a spaghetti strapped blouse and drove to Lauren's place, ready to forget for another few days.

Isabella wondered if she'd see Edward again. He had asked if he could call her when they had bid 'good night' at the front of the hotel last night. However, she knew she shouldn't get her hopes up. Even if she dared, she knew he would only be fling.

Someone to make her forget for just a fleeting moment.

"It was fantastic," Lauren gushed, leaning her elbows on the counter and sighing contently. "Don't get me wrong, I love my boys, but damn. Being able to just be with my husband, even for a night? Priceless."

Isabella laughed and picked up a strawberry. "I can imagine. You have to watch your mouth when they're around." She knew Lauren loved to cuss and she also knew she was loud … in the bedroom. Those weren't the fondest memories of her teenage years, having overheard Lauren and Tyler a few times.

Lauren rolled her eyes and chewed on a piece of pineapple. "Damn fucking straight." She leaned in closer to Isabella, peeking over her shoulder to look at Tyler and the boys, lowering her voice. "But let me tell you, seeing him being a Daddy is a total turn on."

Isabella choked on her strawberry and reached for her water. "I did not need to know that." She took a few more sips, watching Lauren stifle her own giggle. "But good for you, I guess."

Alice bounded through the door followed by Jasper, who was shaking his head amusingly. "I'M ENGAGED!" She screeched, jumping up and down while waving her hand in Isabella's face.

She rose from her chair and embraced her friend and winked at Jasper, who had a small blush on his cheeks. He was adorable and quite the balance for Alice.

Whereas Alice was short with dark hair and hazel eyes, Jasper was tall, lean and had dirty blond hair. With his piercing blue eyes, he looked like a surfer from one of those commercials Isabella had seen.

"Congratulations!"

"Yes, yes. Who knew that the surprise date he had planned would mean that I would get engaged," Alice sighed, twirling the ring around her finger.

Lauren hugged Alice, sending a smile to Jasper. "Congrats. I'm guessing the next months are going to be crazy for you. With planning the wedding and all."

Alice gasped and looked to Jasper. He was suddenly wearing a scared, _run and hide_ kind of look on his face. "Oh my God! There's so much to do. The dress, the venue," she gripped her hair, looking to Isabella and Lauren for help. "How am I going to do all of this?"

Lauren grasped her shoulders and shook her slightly. "Hey! Now's not the time to worry about it. You only got engaged yesterday. Take a breather and when the time comes to plan everything, we'll be here, okay? You're not alone."

Isabella saw the relief on Jasper's face as Alice calmed. Did he know he was going to have his hands full with her? He must, since he was marrying her.

"I'm not sure how much help I'll be, Ali, but I will do everything I can."

Alice approached Isabella just as Jasper exited through the back door and joined Tyler, downing half a bottle of beer. "But you'll be here on my day, right? I need you both to be my matrons of honor."

Lauren and Isabella exchanged a questioning look. "Both?" Lauren asked.

"Well, duh. I can't decide, so you'll both be. Or is that not a good idea?"

Isabella laughed and handed Alice her drink. She would need it if she wanted to talk wedding now already. "Of course. You're the bride and you get to decide."

"Oh good. I'm glad." She sipped her margarita and narrowed her eyes at Isabella, observant. "You look different."

Isabella pushed a stray hair behind her ear and took a gulp of her own margarita. Water wouldn't suffice if she was to endure this conversation. "Why? You just saw me yesterday and we did get the same spa treatments."

She needed to be quiet.

Right, the fuck now.

"I mean, if that makes me look different then that's good, right?" She clamped her mouth shut and hoped to God that she wasn't blushing. She had nothing to be ashamed of, but she just wasn't sure that her friends would understand about Edward.

For now she wanted to keep him her secret.

Her fuck-awesome secret that made her feel alive.

Wanted.

Lauren now stood beside Alice and was observing her, too. "You're right, Alice. Something's definitely different."

Isabella sighed, defeated. "You're right. I had a good night sleep for once. Is that so bad?"

Fuck, when did she become such a good liar?

"Mhm," Lauren mused. She knew her friend didn't only get a good night sleep. There was something more.

She looked brighter.

Hopeful.

Excited.

The shadows underneath her eyes were starting to diminish.

Tyler poked his head through the patio doors and furrowed his brows at the women. Usually, they were so … loud. He knew from high school that there was never a beat of silence between these three friends.

"Is everything okay?" He asked.

"Yes, honey. All is good. Is the food ready?" Lauren walked to him and gave him a sweet kiss.

"Yeah, that's what I came to tell you. The burgers are almost done." He looked to Alice, "Oh, and congratulations to you."

"Thank you," she blushed, once again twirling her ring.

Seth and Paul, Lauren and Tyler's four-year-old twin boys came over to Alice as the women brought out salads and drinks for their lunch. "Are you a princess, Aunt Alice?"

The boys had Tyler's darkened skin and wild nature, but their blue eyes and light brown hair was all Lauren. They were so cute and it made Isabella's heart ache for a child.

"Of course, I'm a princess. Who told you?" Alice took their hands and led them over to the table, listening intently to their story.

Jasper approached Isabella and smiled as he watched his fiancé, "I'm Jasper." He held out his hand for Isabella to shake. "With the engagement news we haven't officially met."

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry," she apologized. "I've seen pictures of you, though, on Alice's social profile. I'm Isabella, but please call me Bella. Congratulations on the engagement, by the way."

His head tipped forward slightly in acceptance. "Thank you. I'm glad you could be here for this. She talks about you a lot, you know. She says that you share the same passion. Clothes."

Isabella laughed at the distaste in his voice as he said 'clothes.' "Yes, clothes. Our areas of interests are a little different, though." She watched Alice entertain the boys. "I'm just sad I missed all those years."

"Well, you're here now, aren't you?" She turned to Jasper and decided immediately that she was going to love him. He was good for Alice.

"Yes, I am."

-T-T-T-

The dinner was delicious and the company even better. After they had devoured the burgers, Jasper and Alice left. They had to deliver their exciting news to his parents who lived in San Diego via a Skype call. Tyler had joined his sons in the pool, playing some kind of a water game while Lauren and Isabella relaxed in their lounge chairs. The sun had set and a warm evening breeze blew gently. Isabella tried hard not to think of last night and where she had been when the sun had set.

Through the day as she had watched the two couples surrounding her, she had wondered what it would be like to have someone by her side. To touch her cheek, kiss her lightly or stroke her back as they would talk among friends.

That someone being Edward.

She had put a stop on that line of thought as soon as it occurred. She knew she couldn't let herself enjoy such ideas. They were dangerous. She was dangerous.

Lauren emerged from the house with yet more drinks and handed one to Isabella. "I hope this one is virgin," Isabella inquired as she eyed the red drink.

"It is. I know you won't stay here for the night." Her brows furrowed. "Have you heard anything?"

Isabella knew her friend was only worried. "Yeah." Her answer was quiet and her eyes focused on the red punch in her hand. She didn't want to talk about it, even though, she'd have to face reality in a couple of days.

"And?" Lauren asked quietly. She hated what was happening in Isabella's life, but she was helpless. Her friend assured her that she knew what she was doing and if she needed help, she'd ask. For now, she'd have to accept her decisions.

"Same old. Telling me that I'm making a big mistake and to come home." The slump in Isabella's shoulders was prominent.

"When are you going back?" Lauren didn't want to refer to it as home. It was no home to Isabella.

Isabella sat back up and took a deep breath, smiling at the boys in the pool. "My flight leaves Thursday afternoon."

It was Sunday evening now.

"Are you coming back after everything is done?"

"I think so, but I don't know yet," Isabella answered. Her responses were vague, but she couldn't think about the future now. It hurt too much. She had decided to take one day at a time.

-T-T-T-

Isabella settled between the sheets and reached to turn off the bedside lamp when a knock sounded on her door. Her heart began to pound in her chest and fear gripped her limbs.

 _Did he find her?_

 _Had he sent someone for her?_

Slowly, she crept towards the door, her robe grasped tightly in her hand when a knock sounded again. Her breath escaped her in a whoosh when she saw Edward through the peephole.

She opened the door and his scent hit her nose. "Edward?"

His downcast eyes flashed up to hers and he stepped forward, clasping her face between his large palms and crushing his lips to hers. He walked her backward into the room, kicking the door shut with his foot as his tongue dominated hers. He tasted as sweet as she remembered.

Her hands grasped his shirt, pulling him closer, needing to feel him against her. With a thud, her back made contact with the wall and his hands ripped open the robe and pushed it off her shoulders. He reached over his shoulders and yanked his shirt over his head, letting Isabella catch her breath before his lips were on hers again.

In a fluent motion, he had her legs wrapped around his waist and carried her towards the bed, laying her down softly. Her hands found his hair and she held him close to her, inhaling his scent and drinking in his taste.

His possessiveness should scare her.

Showing up unannounced at her door should raise questions in her mind, but she loved it.

She loved the fact that he wanted her again.

His lips left hers, trailing down her cheek and to her ear, nibbling and sucking on her lobe. She moaned deep in her throat and tightened her legs around his jean-clad hips, closing her eyes.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you," he whispered huskily into her ear, his breath making her shiver. "Your sexy body." He licked her collarbone. "The way we fit together."

He removed her nightshirt, his eyes blazing across her skin before he sucked one of her tightened nipples into his mouth, releasing it with a pop. "These fuck-awesome tits."

Fuck! His dirty talking mouth would be the death of her. He hadn't been this way last night and she wondered briefly what had brought on the change.

"Did you think about me, Bella?" Her name rolled off of his lips in a seductive tone and his finger slowly drew circles up her right leg.

She nodded, biting her lip. She wanted to tell him to hurry up and fuck her already, but then the night would be over and he would be gone again. His eyes stayed on hers as he circled his index finger on her wet clit.

"Edward," she moaned, needing him inside her.

"Fuck," he groaned and palmed himself through his jeans. "I love the way you say my name."

Isabella's eyes closed on their own volition and her back arched. She heard the faint sound of a zipper lowering and her heart rate sped. Her eyes opened slowly and her breath hitched. He was naked and a very hard, cock jutted out between his hips.

Bravely, she got up on her knees and sucked it into her mouth. He cursed loudly and held her head, threading his fingers through her hair.

She tasted the precum and moaned in her throat. She was doing this to him.

It felt powerful.

"Fucking hell!" He cursed and lifted her, up, kissing her mouth and stroking her clit with his finger.

Edward turned her around and he sat back, making her straddle him backward. His cock brushed her clit and she bucked her hips against him, causing him to slip inside. She moaned and sank down lower.

 _God, he was thick._

His grip on her hips tightened and he lifted her off him slowly. "Condom," he groaned, the frustration evident in his voice.

She wanted to tell him that she was covered and that she wanted to feel him, but she bit her lip and waited patiently until he had sheathed himself.

With a hard thrust, he was buried deep inside her. Her head fell to his shoulder with a loud groan. "Oh God."

It felt fantastic.

There was nothing slow about it. His hips slammed against hers as he fucked her deep and hard. His left arm circled her torso and grabbed her right breast, flicking her nipple with his thumb.

She moaned. "Oh."

"So fucking tight. Fuck," he ground out and grazed his teeth along her shoulder, kissing her neck. Isabella turned her head towards his and captured his lips, stroking his tongue with hers.

His movements sped and his fingers brushed her clit. Her orgasm was fast approaching, building in her chest, traveling down through her stomach and finally bursting around his cock.

"Edward," she moaned against his lips. It was a plea that he answered willingly.

His eyes looked between hers and she saw the tenderness and warmth in them as her body began to quiver and shake. She wanted to close her eyes, but couldn't. His gaze drew her in, captivating her and releasing her altogether.

"I've got you," he whispered tenderly, his lips ghosting over hers. Those were the same words he had uttered last night as she had shattered in his arms.

And just like last night, she shuddered and came around him. His grip on her hips tightened and his movements sped up, prolonging her earth-shattering orgasm.

His eyes fluttered briefly and he groaned loud and long as he came, jerking inside her, his breath warm on her cheek. Her head leaned against his temple and slowly they came down from their high.

Edward kissed her cheek lovingly, before leaning his forehead against hers. She kissed his lips.

Once.

Twice.

"Thank you," he whispered, the wild, animalistic man who had fucked her into next week was gone, replaced by the sweet man she had played with in the water last night.

"Thank you, too," she whispered back and slowly rose from his lap. His hiss didn't go unnoticed by her. She felt the same way. She didn't want it to end.

Silently, he disposed of the condom and pulled on his boxers, brushing a hand through his hair. He looked uncertain of what to do next.

He motioned to the door. "I should go."

Isabella nodded.

She wanted to ask him to stay, but what would that bring? More fucking in the morning? If she'd let him stay now, she knew the goodbye would be even worse.

Edward dressed quickly, silently. She put on her robe that had been discarded by the door and met his gaze. His fingers brushed her cheek and she closed her eyes, reveling in his touch for just a second longer.

She kissed him back greedily as his lips touched hers. Her hands found purpose in his shirt once again and held him to her.

Just a little longer.

"Have a good night, Bella," he said and placed a kiss on her forehead. Her eyes were closed, but she heard his footsteps as he walked away, taking a small piece of her with him.

"Good night, Edward," she whispered into the empty hallway.

* * *

 **A/N: It seems these two can't stay away from each other after all.  
**

 **What did you think of Alice and Jasper?**

 **Or Lauren and Tyler?**

 **Anymore guesses on what these are running from? or why?**

 **Love to hear your thoughts. Thanks everyone for reading and a special thank you to those reviewing. It means the world to me. I am sorry if I didn't reply. RL is busy and shit, but I do try. But I do read all of them and love them just as much. You make me smile each time.**

 **See you next week Tuesday!**

 **XOXO**


	4. Lonely Tonight

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, winterhorses and Hopesparkles are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _L_ _onely Tonight_ _by Blake Shelton featuring Ashely Monroe_

 _We don't have to be lonely tonight  
(Need you, want, I'm right here)  
We don't have to be lonely tonight  
(I know we shouldn't, but I don't care)_

Chapter 3

Monday came too quickly for Isabella's liking. She was having this amazing dream where Edward and she were having this secluded beach to themselves. He was wearing blue swim trunk that showed off the prominent V and six-pack. He was feeding her strawberries and licking the juices off her chin, whispering words of promises, pleasure and joy into her ear.

But then, this buzzing interrupted their romantic getaway. She swatted at the buzzing as if it were a fly. It just wouldn't stop. It was ruining their perfect moment.

Then reality kicked in. Her eyes opened slowly to her hotel room. She sighed. No wonder it had just been a dream. Nothing like that ever happened in reality.

Bzzz.

Bzzz.

Bzzz.

She grabbed for her phone and pressed it to her ear without looking at the caller ID. "Hello?" Her voice was scratchy and rough from sleep.

"Bella! Where the hell are you? I've been waiting for you for half an hour." Lauren's upset voice rang in her ear.

Her eyes flew to the alarm clock on the bedside table and gasped. 10.30a.m. "Shit. Fuck. I'm sorry, Lauren. I overslept. I'll be there shortly."

She hung up and rushed to the bathroom, grabbing a quick shower and dressing in what she could find first in her messy suitcase.

Lauren and Isabella had decided to spend the day at the mall, shopping. It was a way for the women to catch up and spend unnecessary money. Isabella wasn't big on walking through endless stores. She usually came down with a headache from the different scents, but she agreed, wanting to spend as much time with her best friend as possible, even if that meant enduring the tortures of walking through a crowded mall.

The women strolled through a number of stores, before grabbing a quick bite to eat for lunch. Isabella's stomach had been grumbling since she woke. She ordered a simple chicken salad wrap and a Sprite while Lauren got a cheeseburger with fries. Luckily, she had the metabolism of a horse.

"So, you want to tell me what's going on with you?" Lauren asked while wiping her hands on a napkin. She had just finished her burger and was anxious to know what Isabella was hiding.

She was hiding something.

Isabella swallowed the last of her wrap and took a sip of soda, her heart beating in her throat. Did she dare spill her secret? Did she want Lauren to know?

"What do you mean?"

Lauren smiled and tapped Isabella on her hand with her manicured nail. "I think you do. I won't judge, especially since you're limping, so it must be good."

Holy.

Shit.

Isabella's face flamed and she closed her eyes. She had awoken sore this morning, but with all her might, she had tried to walk normally. Edward had given her a workout last night and even Lauren noticed. Had anyone else?

She looked around the food court of the mall looking for accusing eyes, but she found none. Turning back to Lauren, she nodded slightly.

"Yes, okay. What do you want to know?" She knew Lauren would keep her secret, dark as it may be. If anyone else found out, she'd be dead. Quite literally and figuratively.

"Eek," Lauren squealed and pulled her chair closer to Isabella, excited for her friend. "What's his name? Do I know him? Where did you meet? How long has it been going on? Are you…?"

Isabella held up her hand to stop Lauren. "Whoa, one question at a time." She breathed deeply, her heart rate increasing whenever she'd think of Edward, much less talk about it. "I won't tell you his name, no offense. It's easier to accept it as a fling if I don't."

"Why would it only be a fling?"

"You know why," Isabella growled at her friend with narrowed eyes. "Anyway, I met him after I left the reunion on the street corner. So far, I've seen him twice."

"Street corner? That's … that's dangerous. How do you know he's not a drifter or a homeless person?" Lauren was concerned for her friend. She did deserve happiness, but with a shady person like that?

"He's not," Isabella said defensively. "You see, this is why I don't want to talk about it. It's just a fling; someone to get my mind off the troubles at home. By the time I leave on Thursday, we will be done."

Isabella figured if she said it out loud, it would be true. The truth was, she was anxious to see Edward again. She wanted to get to know him, spend time with him. Her heart and mind were at war. Her heart being the most dangerous— wanting to latch on to those feelings and expand them.

She couldn't let that happen.

"Okay, I get it," Lauren said quietly. "But know I am happy for you. You look … refreshed." She winked, causing Isabella to blush once more.

"Well, well, well. I knew I'd run into Smelly Belly again." The voice of Angela interrupted whatever Isabella wanted to say to Lauren.

"I figured since you ran from the reunion, you would have left the island. Shame," Angela drawled out with pouty lips.

Isabella straightened her back and looked into Angela's eyes. "What is it about me that bothers you so much? I have done nothing but left you alone ever since I started at that school."

Angela braced her hands on the back of a chair and leaned forward, a couple of inches from Isabella's face. "Your presence bothers me. You stole from me ever since you came to that school. You took what was mine."

"And what exactly was that? Attention? Friends? What? Because if that's the case, you can have it all back. All I want is to be left in peace. Is that so much to ask?"

Angela narrowed her eyes at Isabella, contemplating her words, before she huffed and walked away, her heels clicking loudly on the floor tiles.

"Well, that was interesting," Lauren, mused. "Guess you showed her."

Isabella sighed and discarded the trash. "Let's hope it stays that way. I'm tired of dealing with my past. I have enough on my plate as it is, without her."

Isabella looked forward to nightfall. She would see Edward again and he would make her forget.

Except, he didn't come to her that night.

-T-T-T-

On Tuesday, Isabella took advantage of the beautiful sunshine and lounged by the pool, wearing a blue bikini and aviator sunglasses. Her cell phone lay on the table beside her, silent for most of the day, minus a few texts from Lauren asking how her day was and that she was sad that she was leaving so soon.

Isabella's answer to the later was simple. _'I can't hide forever.'_

The book she was reading was just getting to the good part when her phone vibrated on the table again.

Alice.

"Hey, Ali. How are the engagement jitters?" She teased as she answered the phone.

Alice laughed. "Oh, you know. Exciting."

Isabella laughed along with her. "Did Lauren tell you to call and keep me company?"

"No. Nothing of the sorts. I am calling about tonight."

"What's tonight?" Isabella asked and sat up in her chair, her eyes following a couple that walked hand in hand on the other side of the pool. The woman was blonde, fairly pale while the man was dark-skinned and had shiny black hair. Complete opposites, but they fit well together.

"There's a luau on the beach, about a mile from the resort where you're staying. You're coming with us."

"Oh, am I now?" Isabella teased.

"Yes, and meet me at my place in two hours. Don't be late." The line went dead.

Isabella stared at her phone with furrowed brows. What was Alice up to? Isabella figured she could ignore Alice's request and stay in her room all night, hoping for Edward to show up again, or she actually could enjoy Hawaii's most popular party while she was still here.

Still, Isabella knew Alice had something up her sleeve.

Two hours later, Isabella knocked on Alice's apartment door. Her apartment was just a short way from downtown Honolulu, with trees as its perimeter and a beautiful backyard with a fire pit and flower gardens. The building was white in color and had light blue shutters on the windows.

"Bella, you came." Alice pulled Isabella through the door and into her bedroom.

Isabella scowled at her energetic friend. "Like I had a choice. What's going on, Ali?" Truth was, she was looking forward to the luau. She hadn't been to one since high school.

Alice pushed Isabella into a chair that sat in front of her mirror and started messing with her hair. "Well, okay. I guess I should tell you."

"Tell me what?" Isabella asked with raised eyebrows.

"Jasper invited his college buddy and he needed a date. I told him that I knew someone." She looked pointedly at Isabella, "You."

If it were possible, Isabella's eyebrows raised further, Edward flashing in her mind. "You set me up? Why?"

Alice sighed and perched herself on her vanity. "Because you deserve to have fun. Plus, that way he won't be a third wheel. I felt sorry for the guy. He hasn't been out in a while and Jasper says he works too much."

Okay, that sounded like a workaholic. However, would Isabella keep him entertained? "And how do I fit into this picture, exactly?"

Alice picked at her nails, hoping her friend would agree to this. "You could talk to him. Entertain him for the evening so that he gets his mind off work. We would greatly appreciate it. He's a good friend of Jasper's."

Isabella sighed, "Fine. Talk. I can do that."

"Yay," Alice clapped her hands. "Now, let's get ourselves gussied up for tonight. It's going to be great, you'll see."

Isabella's thoughts strayed to Edward again. Would he be at the luau? A luau was usually a significant event for the people home to Hawaii and even to tourists. Would it be possible not to run into him all evening? What would he think if he saw her with someone else?

' _And why do I care so much?'_ Isabella asked herself, frustrated with her line of thoughts.

Pushing her thoughts aside, she asked, "What's his name?"

"Masen," Alice answered, focused on styling Isabella's hair.

-T-T-T-

The party was in full swing by the time Alice and Isabella arrived. Both women wore hula skirts made out of straw that went below the knee. Alice wore a yellow bikini top with small white flowers printed on it and a lei made out of pink plastic flowers. Isabella wore a dark green bikini top with a lei made from red plastic flowers. While she wore flip-flops, Alice wore wedges. She had claimed that they made her taller.

They weaved through the crowd, some dancing, some drinking and some way underdressed.

The sun had just set and the big bonfire had been started, a bunch of tables with delicious looking food had been set up and the pig was rotating on the fire. Tiki torches were lit along the beach, illuminating the sand and the ocean.

Alice looked around the crowd, getting frustrated. "He said they'd be around the fire. I don't see him."

Isabella linked her arm through Alice's, not wanting to lose her among the crowd. "We'll find them."

They found them shortly after. Jasper's shaggy hair was hard to miss, along with his tall frame. The person with him made Isabella's heart skip.

Edward.

"Jasper, here you are." Alice embraced him and the couple kissed unashamed. Isabella's eyes were glued to the green ones staring back at her. Her body flamed and she was glad it was dark, afraid, he'd see right through her and the effects he was having on her.

Jasper addressed Isabella, giving her a brief hug. "Bella. Glad you could come." He smiled and turned to Edward. "Meet one of my best buddies from college, Masen."

Edward, or as Jasper called him, Masen, stretched out his hand to Isabella. Hers was trembling slightly. What was he doing here?

"Bella, it's nice to meet you," he said slowly, drawing out her name with his eyes never breaking from hers. Was he thinking of their rendezvous as she was? Warmth spread through their joined hands, up her arms and down her spine.

"You as well, Masen," she answered calmly, hoping they, or specifically he, didn't hear the tremor in her voice.

Alice handed her a beer and so began the night. Isabella stayed close to Alice; afraid of what might happen if she would be alone with Edward or Masen, whatever the hell his name was. She felt his eyes on her and she looked up to meet his questioning gaze. He was probably wondering why she was ignoring him.

"So what is it that you do?" She asked, looking at Jasper. Alice's social profile hadn't said much and Isabella hadn't looked at Jasper's either. She figured this was a safe conversation.

The four of them had found an unoccupied picnic table close to the water. Jasper and Alice sat on one side, glued to one another while Edward and Isabella sat on the other side, as far apart as it the bench would permit. her. Her body betrayed her, itching and wanting to be close to him; to inhale his intoxicating scent, to feel his skin on hers.

It was playing with fire.

Hot, sexy fire that wouldn't stop looking at her.

"I work in security. Home security. Banks. I set it up and get it working. Not much to it. Mase here helps me out now and then when he's around. He's usually somewhere glued to his camera," Jasper answered, his eyes on Edward, smirking.

"I only capture beautiful things," he said, his eyes solely focused on Isabella. Her skin heated and she wasn't sure if it was the alcohol in her system or just Edward.

"That's interesting," Isabella said, drawing the attention back to Jasper.

He laughed. "No, it isn't, but thank you for indulging me. What do you do, Bella?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Edward lean forward, intrigued. She snorted into her beer. He would not be impressed once he found out. "Nothing as interesting as security. I am a seamstress. Tailoring clothes, mostly for wedding parties. Also, very boring, but I love it." She took a hefty sip of her beer.

Jasper laughed. "Imagine a world without seamstresses. The horror."

She laughed along with him, glad he didn't judge her on her choice of career. It was simple, not at all elegant, but she loved doing it. The joy of seeing a bride fit into her dress perfectly after she'd altered it was priceless.

The crowd around the fire hollered something and the music got louder. The four acquainted friends turned to watch a dancer perform some wild tricks on the makeshift dance floor. Isabella smiled, imagining the movement of the body. Soon, she was swaying to the beat of the music.

When she turned back to her friends, Jasper and Alice's were engrossed in a silent conversation before their lips locked.

' _Well, that's that,'_ Isabella thought dryly.

She turned to Edward only to find him watching her intently. His eyes locked on hers before traveling down her face, settling on her lips. He blinked once and swallowed heavily. She mirrored his actions, the pull she felt towards him strong.

Her thoughts strayed to Monday night and she clenched her thighs together, warring with herself again. On one hand, she wanted to grab him by the collar of his shirt and kiss the ever living fuck out of him. And then fuck him senseless. But on the other, she wanted to run and pretend that she never had met him. He was slowly, but surely, driving her crazy with lust and want.

A very dangerous combination.

Isabella moved to stand when his hand shot out and grabbed hers, his thumb stroking over the flesh of her palm. Her breathing hitched and her temperature spiked. Slowly, she looked from their hands, up his muscular arm to his eyes.

Such a beautiful green.

"Dance with me," he said quietly, his eyes pleading.

Against all her better instinct, Isabella agreed.

Edward led her through the crowd towards the beach, his hand never letting go. It was a little bit more private here and Isabella figured this was her chance to ask him about his name.

She shouldn't want to know, but she did.

He turned her to him and folded his arms around her lower body, drawing her close, swaying to an unknown beat. They certainly weren't dancing to the beat of the song playing through the speakers. Her hands found purpose on his strong arms, afraid if she'd wrap them around his neck, she'd only want to kiss him. Not that she didn't want it now. God, she wanted it, but there were people around.

"I seem to recall you mentioning that you like to dance," he teased, smiling down at her.

She drew in a deep breath, his manly smell overpowering her senses and almost driving her insane. "I do," she answered, thinking back to their _get to know_ session they had on the boardwalk.

"Ask," he nudged her slightly with his cheek where he had it pressed up against hers. His breath washed over her ear and she shivered.

"Ask what?" She asked nonchalantly.

He released a breathless chuckle. "You know what." He drew back and looked into her eyes. "About my name. I know you're curious."

She sighed and looked past his shoulder at the slow rolling waves of the ocean. "Okay. What's with the different names?"

He smiled at her and placed his cheek on hers again, talking low and softly into her ear. "They're both my names. Masen Edward. Edward is my middle name."

Simple, and yet it left her intrigued for more of him. "Okay." It was enough, and in two days, she'd have to forget about him. The less she knew, the easier it would be.

Isabella closed her eyes and let herself feel the simplicity of dancing with this beautiful man. His warm hands spread over her lower back, his thumbs caressing her skin. A small moan escaped her when he drew her closer.

He heard and released a quick shudder, placing his lips on her neck and sucking lightly. Her eyes rolled back and she slid her arms around his neck, sliding her fingers into his silky smooth hair.

"You make me forget that there are people around," he whispered heavily in her ear, kissing her neck and then her cheek, before capturing her waiting lips.

They kissed slowly, savoring the moment, still swaying to the unheard music. Isabella's fingernails scratched his scalp and he moaned into her mouth, tracing his tongue over her lower lip and slipping it inside her mouth to stroke her own. The taste of beer and Edward was all she could taste and it was the best flavor she had ever tasted.

His hands grabbed her ass and drew her against his hard erection. It pressed into her soft stomach, making her ache for him.

Needing to breathe, she drew back. His lips were cherry-stained and swollen, his eyes hooded. "You make me forget, too," she admitted in a whisper. There was more truth in that sentence alone than he would ever know.

His eyebrows furrowed in question, but she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him again until they were both breathless and panting, their bodies wanting more.

Throwing caution to the wind, she requested the one thing of him she wanted so desperately but knew it was not wise in the long run.

"Stay with me tonight."

* * *

 **A/N: So, Edward knows Jasper. Wonder what that is all about?**

 **Bella invited him to stay with her. She's craving him more. Sounds like trouble, don't it?**

 **What are your thoughts of it so far? How are you liking these two?**

 **You gals like red eyed Edward? Yes? Well, there's this contest going on called Red Eyed Edward. I may or may not have an entry in there. Check it out! Search writer: redeyededward. 8 wonderful entries. Leave the authors some love by leaving a review. They spent a lot of time and effort into the stories.**

 **Thank you, my darlings. Xoxo**


	5. Wildest Dreams

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, winterhorses and Hopesparkles are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _Wildest Dreams_ _by Taylor Swift_

 _He said 'Let's get out of this town'  
Drive out of the city, away from the crowds  
I thought Heaven can't help me now  
Nothing lasts forever_

Chapter 4

Green.

Isabella closed her eyes again not wanting it to be morning. The dream she was having was pure heaven. She was warm, her body sticky with sweat. Last night came rushing back to her, dancing with Edward on the beach, inviting him to stay the night with her. The way he had dominated her body, marked her from the inside out.

She moaned.

Warm breath brushed her cheek. "I know you're awake," the sexy, sultry voice of her night companion whispered in her ear.

Her eyes fluttered open and met Edward's amusing green ones. "No, I'm not," she pouted and closed her eyes again.

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her torso, hoisting her leg over his hip. She felt his stiff erection _right there_ and dug her nails into his bicep. She was sore, much more so since they had sex quite a few times during the night. Isabella knew she should wait and recuperate, but she wanted him. Her impending departure made her desperate.

"Want me to wake you properly?" Edward flexed his hips and the tip of his cock slid into her warm heat. He groaned and his eyes closed.

"Maybe," she moaned and kissed his jaw. She didn't want him to smell her terrifying morning breath. He had other ideas, though, lowering his head and capturing her lips with his. She tried to pull away, but he held her tight against him.

Grasping the back of her knee, he slid into her, both moaning into each other's mouths. He stilled, making love to her mouth first. She felt the desperation in his kisses, in his touch. She had told him last night that she was leaving tomorrow. The sunken look on his face had almost crumbled her, but she had taken a deep breath and barricaded her heart once more. It had been difficult and having him spend the night wasn't making it any easier.

Her heart was a traitor. It knew that this was just a fling. Just a passing enjoyment that needed to end. But it was betraying her at every turn, flooding her mind with images of a happy life with Edward and making her question her sanity.

The word happy wasn't even in her vocabulary. Maybe it had been in the past, but not in her present and probably not in her future.

Edward released her lips and kissed her jaw to her neck, moving his hips slowly. He sucked on the delicate flesh where her shoulder met her neck. Isabella buried her fingers into his thick silky hair and closed her eyes, concentrating on the way he was making her feel.

"Do you feel that?" Edward breathed into her ear, pushing his hips tight against hers. "Do you feel what you do to me?"

Her eyes flew open, the tingling in her stomach increasing. "Yes," she whimpered into his hair. "Everywhere."

Gently, he rolled her onto her back and braced one hand beside her head, while holding her leg with the other. He drove in deeper, his chest sliding against hers, brushing her nipples with each stroke. No words, no sound, except their lovemaking. His eyes stayed on hers, conversing with her every emotion that she couldn't return.

A lump formed in her throat and she closed her eyes, praying the tears didn't appear.

"Look at me," he growled, stopping his movement.

She shook her head, digging her nails into his biceps, wanting him to feel her pain and not wanting to hurt him.

"Look at me, Bella!" He growled again, much more forcefully.

Isabella swallowed the lump, her heart hurting so much and opened her eyes.

He saw it.

She could tell by the way his brows furrowed slightly.

"I need to see you," he breathed as he thrust into her again, a slight edge to his movements.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, pushing her heels into his ass. Edward groaned and grabbed the headboard, his muscles bunching and rippling with each thrust. His eyes were pure fire as he held her gaze, driving her over the edge with three powerful thrusts.

Her eyes closed again, hating the vulnerability he was witnessing. He didn't stop her this time. Instead he crushed his lips to hers and kissed her while he came. Isabella buried her face into his neck, swallowing that damn lump again and blinking away tears.

Edward stroked her damp back and held her to him, rolling onto his side. The entire atmosphere around them had changed to something much more passionate and challenging. It was something neither wanted to address.

After counting the blinds on the window that kept him from blurting out three words that he knew she wouldn't return, he drew back and met her shimmering eyes. "Go out with me today."

Her eyes widened comically and he saw the fear around her irises, but he kept going. "There's this small hot spring up in the mountains. It's quiet, secluded and the perfect place to relax."

The fear dissipated and he knew she would agree. Isabella nodded and her tight grip on him loosened. "Okay."

He smiled, the somber mood dissolving. "Okay."

-T-T-T-

Isabella climbed into Edward's car wearing her Daisy Duke shorts, a yellow, spaghetti strap blouse and her blue bikini underneath, as per Edward's request. She put on her seatbelt and slid her sunglasses over her eyes. Edward smiled at her, his beautiful eyes hidden behind his aviators and they were off.

She didn't know why she had agreed to this, but as it were, she would enjoy her last day the way she saw fit. And she wanted to spend it with Edward, no matter how much it would hurt later.

Edward weaved through the traffic, stroking her pinkie with his at stop lights. It was a small touch, but her heart skipped a beat each time. After the third time, she weaved her fingers through his and squeezed. He had turned towards her and kissed the back of her hand, smiling when she blushed.

The traffic lessened and the forest thickened. The road became more narrow and curved up higher into the mountains. After an hour, Edward made a right turn onto a small gravel road and came to a stop about a mile into the forest. Isabella took in her surroundings with wonder. She had spent her entire teenage years on this island and she had no idea this was here.

No wonder Edward had said it was secluded.

"Come on," he beckoned to her. He had grabbed the picnic basket and his camera bag while she was checking out her surroundings. It was so beautiful.

Grabbing her beach bag, she hurried after him, through the trees, through the weeds and over the rocks. It was pretty humid and she was starting to sweat.

After hiking up a hill for about five minutes, the thick forest thinned and opened up to a hot spring. The trees created a canopy over it and birds chirped through the trees. It was quiet, secluded and so beautiful.

Edward set down his camera bag and the picnic basket, slipped out of his shirt and with a wink to Isabella waded into the water. He spread out his arms and looked at her expectantly. "You coming, or not?"

She slipped her shirt over her head and chimed out of her shorts, keeping her eyes on Edward. He licked his lips and beckoned to her with his finger. Isabella raised her eyebrows at him and took a step forward **.**

"Come on now, beautiful." She smirked at him and took a step into the warm water. He slid his hands up her waist and sat down with her in his lap. Isabella wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips sweetly.

Her heart constricted in her chest. She felt conflicted. It was so easy to be here with him. Easy to forget about her real life that was waiting for her just around the corner.

Tomorrow would be here soon enough.

If only …?

Edward stroked her cheek with his thumb, his eyes looking between hers. "You look beautiful. Blue looks incredible on you."

Heat flooded her cheeks and she looked over his shoulder, watching a squirrel scurry into the woods. "Thanks, I guess?"

Gently, he touched her chin and made her look at him again. "Believe it. You do look beautiful." His eyes held nothing but sincerity and she willed herself not to read too much into it. It was a useless feat. She nodded and kissed his cheek lightly.

They relaxed in the warm water until they started to look like shriveled prunes. Edward spread out a blanket and they devoured the small picnic he had packed. Mostly it was from the hotel fruit bar. He did confess that the chef had made the sandwiches. The tinge of pink on his cheeks as he said it made her laugh.

Laying side by side, they watched squirrels and birds flutter through the trees. Isabella observed Edward as he got out his camera and started to photograph the wildlife. As he wandered into the woods, she lay on her back and looked up at the scattered clouds in the sky.

She smiled, having made her decision. She would go back to Seattle, take care of the last few things in her life, and then come back. Here, on this island is where she wanted to be.

Then she frowned. Would Edward be here? Jasper had mentioned that they sometimes work together, but she wondered if he was a resident of the island. Did he live on the mainland? Did he live anywhere at all? Since he was a photographer, well known in the travel business, did he have a home?

Isabella's mind started to wander, imagining a life where she traveled alongside Edward; seeing the world through his eyes. God, it was easy to imagine such a life.

The click of Edward's camera brought her back to reality and she turned her head towards him emerging from the trees. His camera was pointing at her and it clicked again.

Her eyes widened and he smiled. "Stop it," she turned her head and heard him chuckle.

"Don't hide. The camera loves you. I …" he paused and cleared his throat. "I like taking pictures of you. You're stunning."

Her cheeks flamed and her heart rate spiked. She heard the pause. Dammit, it would be so easy to say those words. Why did her life have to be so complicated?

She swallowed her anxiety and turned towards him, smiling and letting him take her picture. He walked around her, clicking away, never saying a word. After a moment, he lowered his camera slowly and looked at her with those green eyes.

"Bella …" he started and was interrupted by a thunderclap overhead.

Both looked to the darkened sky, shocked. How could they have missed that? The once clear sky was dark with rain clouds. As thunder clapped again, Isabella shrieked. That was close.

Edward hurried to clean up their leftovers and took her hand, running down the hill as the rain started to pour. She laughed out loud as Edward yanked the door open and threw in his camera bag and the picnic basket.

He spun around to face her, his hair wet and sticking to his forehead. "What's so funny?"

She wiped at the water on her face and stood a few feet in front of him. "You."

He cocked his eyebrow at her and smirked, hooking his index fingers through her belt loops and drawing her closer until she was a few inches from his face. "I'm funny?"

"Yeah," she nodded, completely distracted, by the way his shirt clung to his muscles. Water dripped from his chin and she wanted to lick it up.

Edward slowly raised her shirt and ran his fingers across her belly, making her shiver. "Am I funny now?" His voice was low and husky, igniting the fire in her belly.

Isabella shook her head and swallowed. Her throat was suddenly very dry. He raised her shirt over her head and discarded it on the trunk of the car. "What about now?" He asked again, his thumbs brushing her nipples.

"Oh God," she whimpered and arched into his touch.

She gripped his waist and slid her fingers underneath his shirt, raising it slowly. He reached over his shoulders and yanked it off, exposing his chest to her hungry eyes.

The rain fell heavier and Isabella started to shiver. Edward opened the back door to the car and motioned for her to get in, following closely. Isabella listened to their breathing, the rain thundering on the roof of the car as she locked eyes with Edward.

"Come here," he urged, leaning back and letting her straddle his hips. His erection pressed into her pelvic bone.

His lips kissed the water droplets on her chest then up her collarbone to her neck until he reached her lips. Her hands found purpose in his hair as he stroked her tongue with hers. Tilting her head to the side, he gripped her hips and pushed his erection against her.

Isabella moaned into his mouth and pushed back. She'd never had sex in the backseat of a car, but at this rate they were going, she would be able to experience it very soon.

Edward broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. "Tell me something." His warm breath washed over her chilled skin.

Her brows furrowed in confusion. He smiled and kissed her lips once more. "Tell me something about yourself."

"Okay." She thought for a moment about what she could share with him. "I've never had sex in the backseat of a car."

Edward chuckled against her collarbone. "Are we having sex?"

"Well, I sure hope so," she answered, clamping her mouth shut when she felt her cheeks heat.

He leaned back and met her eyes. "Then I better not disappoint," he said before removing her bikini top and sucking her nipple into his mouth.

They did have sex. Mind-blowing, shake-the-car and scream-louder-than-the-thunder-sex.

The rain started to lesson as the couple drove back to the city. Isabella watched the sun set on the western horizon with dread stirring in her stomach.

How would she be able to say goodbye?

Hand in hand, they walked into the hotel and rode the elevator in silence. Neither said a word. No words were needed. They wouldn't suffice for what she was feeling for the man by her side. They removed their clothing and showered, letting their tears wash away with the water. Edward dried Isabella's skin, not looking into her eyes and lifted her into his arms, laying her down on the white bed and making love to her slowly.

Isabella knew, as her orgasm crashed through her, that she would never forget the stranger that pulled her from the street as she was knocking on death's door. She would never forget of how he made her laugh in the water down by the boardwalk and how he made her feel alive.

As he got dressed, the tears in her eyes couldn't be stopped. She sat on the edge of the bed and let them fall, watching him dress, ready to walk out of her life. She wiped at them quickly, not wanting him to see them.

Edward did see her tears, but all he could do was hold her and kiss her. He kissed her until her sniffling turned into sighs. If he could leave her with that beautiful smile on her face, it would hurt less.

Or so he thought.

Isabella drew back and brushed her hand over his temple, over his eyes and cheeks, committing him to memory. "If things were different and this was a fairy tale, I would tell you that I love you."

Edward swallowed, his forehead thumping against hers. "If only," he rasped out and kissed her lips once more.

As the door closed behind Edward, Isabella slid to the floor and buried her head between her knees, her sobs shaking her form.

Why couldn't this be a fairy tale?

-T-T-T-

Isabella looked at the small box in her hand as she waited for her flight. She had canceled her lunch with Lauren, not wanting to explain her puffy eyes to her friend. She had told Lauren that she overslept and had to pack. She had a feeling Lauren would call once she was back in Seattle demanding a better answer.

It wasn't a complete lie. She had overslept, but only because sleep hadn't come until 5 a.m. She had awoken at noon, scrambling out of the bed and taking a quick shower before stuffing her belonging in her suitcase and rushing downstairs.

The concierge had handed her a small box with her name written on it after she had checked out. She asked him who it was from, he had shrugged and told her that it had been dropped off at night.

She lifted the lid and gasped, tears again forming in her eyes. In it was a platinum necklace with a star pendant and beneath it was a small photograph of the stars.

"Edward," she whispered and ran her fingers over the picture **.** It was from their first night together. That night was etched into her mind forever and this was his way of telling her that he would never forget her.

Isabella lifted the necklace and secured it around her neck, kissing the star and wiping her eyes. "I love you," she whispered, wishing that he could hear her.

An elderly lady with graying hair took the seat beside Isabella. "Leaving this beautiful place is difficult, isn't it?" She questioned.

Isabella sniffed and put the lid back on the box. "Yeah. Something like that."

The lady patted her hand and smiled. "Don't let it consume you. You will be back."

Isabella smiled and clung to that hope.

-T-T-T-

Edward sat in Jasper's office, pushing the next button on his laptop as the screen flicked to another image of his beautiful Isabella.

His heart hurt.

His entire body hurt after last night.

He had gone home after telling her goodbye; the hardest thing he'd ever done. He took advantage of the gym in his building, kicking and punching the hell out of that punching bag until he had to slouch over to keep breathing. Even that hadn't hurt as much as his heart. He was sure she had taken it with her.

He still hadn't been able to forget her.

He doubted that he ever would.

The door opened and Jasper saw the state of his best friend. He had warned him that this would happen and it had.

"Did you tell her?" He asked, keeping his voice monotone as he put files into the file cabinet.

Edward shook his head, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"Then go tell her. She deserves to know." He looked over Edward's shoulder and sighed. His friend had it bad.

"She's gone," Edward said, his voice raspy as he slammed his laptop shut, rushing out of the office without a backward glance.

-T-T-T-

The uneasy feeling in Isabella's stomach had intensified to almost unbearable throughout the flight. She knew what was waiting, but even knowing didn't make a difference.

As she exited the airport with her suitcase in tow and her necklace safely tucked into her pocket, she was greeted by Dimitri, the chauffeur.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Newton.

I hope your vacation was refreshing."

* * *

 **A/N: So... there's that...  
**

 **I will wait to read your... um... thoughts. But know this is HEA. I promise. Things will just be a little complicated for a some time now, but bear with me.**

 **Thanks for reading...xoxo**


	6. Can't keep waiting

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, winterhorses and Hopesparkles are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _C_ _an't keep Waiting_ _by Autumn Hill_

 _Holding on to setting suns and memories they fade,  
Walk away watch me run, watch me break.  
Oh love I can't keep waiting.  
Letting go of turning tides and burning hearts tonight._

Chapter 5

Dimitri weaved through Seattle traffic with ease on this rainy Thursday afternoon. Isabella watched the raindrops slide down the closed tinted window, her heart contracting in her chest. She missed the island already.

The Newton _Mansion_ came into view and Isabella sucked in a harsh breath. _Here we go,_ she thought, sitting up straighter in her seat.

The gates opened and Dimitri stopped the car in front of the double oak doors. Oh, she hoped _he_ wasn't home. She just wasn't ready to face him.

"Mrs. Newton. Should I bring your bags into the master suite?" Dimitri turned in his seat to look at Isabella.

She shook her head. She wasn't going near that room anytime soon. "No! Please bring them into the guest suite in the left wing."

He nodded and did as he was told. Dimitri was a good man with a not so good job. Every Christmas, Isabella sent gifts to his four children and only on that day did he smile at her. In fact, she rarely saw emotion displayed on his face. However, at the airport she had seen something along the lines of pity.

Isabella's eyebrows furrowed.

What did he know?

What had changed?

With heavy steps, she walked up the six flight of concrete stairs, facing that big door, exhaling the chilly air from her lungs. It looked as though the doors were mocking her, ready to swallow her whole once she walked through. The rain matted her hair to her temple and she shivered as the wind blew across the yard. Goosebumps appeared on her skin and she quickly closed the doors behind her, the warmth of the house enveloping her.

Silence greeted her. She held her breath, her eyes flitting around the room in fear.

Nothing.

Isabella heard no voices.

No, Mike.

She only heard the rain pelting against the windows, her own breathing and her heart hammering in her chest. Her fingers unclasped themselves from the death grip she had on her purse as she walked up to her room.

Dimitri had put her suitcase on the bed, ready for her to unpack. Standing in the doorway, she stared at them, the staleness of the room making her cringe.

Closing the door, she sat on the bed clasping Edward's gift in her hands, running her fingers along the edges of the star on her necklace. A lone tear fell on the photograph and she wiped it away quickly, sniffling.

God, she missed him.

She missed the feeling of being free.

Edward's arms, his warmth and feeling his heart beat beneath his solid chest.

She missed his smile, that twinkle in his eye and those toe-curling kisses he had given her.

She missed the feeling of love and security she had felt in his arms.

Looking up at the ceiling, she willed her damn tears away. She needed to let him go.

Forget about him.

She had to, no matter how much it killed her.

Suddenly she found herself stuffing the box containing the photograph and the necklace in the back of the bottom drawer of the dresser. Isabella thought doing this would make it easier for her to accept her fate.

Maria, the housemaid, knocked on her door, finding Isabella sitting beside her suitcase. "Mrs. Newton. Would you care for a snack?"

"Thank you, Maria. That's very kind." No matter how hard Isabella tried, Maria still had never show any sort of emotion. She never smiled, never laughed and never raised her voice.

Maria's husband, Jose, was the gardener and he tended to smile at Isabella when she greeted him. He had even taken upon himself to teach her some Spanish. It had been on a hot summer's day and she had watched him tend to the rose garden, wiping the sweat from his brows. To her, it hadn't been fair that he was out there alone in the heat while everyone else was inside enjoying the air conditioning.

They had laughed when she had mispronounced a few words or when she simply got it completely wrong. He never faltered, repeating the small phrases and smiling brightly when she got it right.

Isabella knew she would miss him the most when she left.

Mike and she were over. After six years of marriage, she was done. It wasn't just a spur of the moment thing. No, it had been building for over two years and she couldn't deal with it anymore. She needed to be able to breathe – be to herself again.

Isabella had met Mike her last year in university. He had been a guest speaker in her business class and eight years older than her. He had captured her attention a few sentences into his speech. After class, she ran after him, hoping to speak to him privately.

He had surprised her and asked her out for coffee. Well, a few coffee dates had turned into dinner dates and then sleepovers. Seventeen months later, they were married.

Now, Isabella wished she could smack her young, star-struck self for being so stupid.

It had been fast, but Isabella had liked the fact that he was older. He had his life figured out and wasn't fumbling and struggling like most men her age. He oozed confidence and that had attracted her.

 _Like a moth to a flame._

Four years into their mostly happy marriage, Mike's dad, Marcus Newton, asked Mike to take over his investment company, Newton Global. Of course, Mike said yes, elated that he could help his father. Marcus wasn't faring well anymore, age and bourbon being his poison.

Slowly, over the next few years, Isabella noticed a change in Mike. Angry outbursts, foul language directed at her and the house staff, and late meetings about which he never mentioned.

Being naïve, she had blamed it on his job and the stress that came with it. But then one night, just over a month ago, he had come home angry, and had fucked her forcefully in their foyer, ripping the buttons on her blouse and pushing her face hard against the marble floor as tears streaming down her face. It had left a bruise on her cheek and makeup had been her best friend for a few weeks.

Afterward, he had been normal again, smiling and laughing, kissing her playfully. Isabella hadn't forgotten. She had become fearful of her husband and she had no idea what to do about it. This was not the man she had married.

With that fear, she hadn't been able to be intimate with him again. That hadn't stopped Mike. On a Sunday afternoon, he had been drinking, touching her, and each time she had pushed his hand away. She knew that was a mistake. He got angry, calling her vile names and slapped her across her right cheek, his university, football ring cutting into her flesh, leaving a nasty scar.

It would always be a reminder, marred into her skin on her right cheekbone. Her flesh would heal, but her heart couldn't recover.

Two weeks later, two days before going to Hawaii, she had filed for divorce.

It had been her ticket out of hell.

She had put enough distance between them. That way she wouldn't have to deal with his wrath once his lawyers represented him with the papers.

It was the reason she had put her phone on silent and hadn't answered his calls during her vacation.

A week, maybe two, she would be rid of this place and the vile memories it held. Finally, she was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The buzzing of her phone brought Isabella back to reality. She looked at the screen before answering.

"Hey, Alice."

"Hey you," Alice replied. "How was your flight?"

Isabella smiled. "It was good. Hate this dreary weather, though."

Alice laughed. "I believe you."

For a beat, she was silent and it was enough for Isabella to be worried. "Alice? What is it?"

"You know I love you, right?" Alice asked.

Isabella was definitely worried now. "I know. I love you, too."

"Okay. Now that you know, I have to ask something." Alice subdued tone was something Isabella wasn't used to. Something was up.

"Alice, I already agreed to be your matron of honor, didn't I?" She hated the tension and tried to defuse it with laughter.

"It's not about that."

"Okay, then what is it?"

Isabella could hear Alice's rapid breathing on the other line. "Alice?"

"Okay. I know this is none of my business, but at the luau, I saw you and Edward. Dancing. Kissing. Leaving together."

Isabella squeezed her eyes shut. "Fuck," she breathed.

"Yeah," Alice whispered on the other end. "What's going on, Bella?"

Isabella felt as though her body weighed a thousand tons and collapsed on the bed, before launching into her fucked up story. Alice listened intently only asking questions for clarity.

"And Edward fits into this how?"

Isabella breathed out a laugh. "As a distraction."

"Did it work?" Alice asked.

Sighing, Isabella shook her head against her pillows. "I don't know."

Alice giggled. "I figured. He doesn't look much better than you sound."

Isabella sat up in her bed, her hand reaching for the necklace that wasn't around her neck. Over the past few hours, she had become attached to that necklace, as if it was her lifeline.

 _Her hope._

"What?" She croaked. Did she want to know?

It was only supposed to be a fling, _right_?

"He looks terrible," Alice described. "Moody…"

"Alice," Isabella interrupted. "He has to forget about me. Take him out. Do something to take his mind off me. Anything."

"Bella …" Alice started again.

"I'm serious, Alice. We agreed on a fling and it has to stay that way. I can't deal with this right now." Her voice dropped, her heart heavy and aching. "Please do this for me."

After a minute, Alice responded with a timid okay.

"Thank you," Isabella breathed, glad that Edward had someone to look after him. To get him back to life.

She closed her eyes, picturing him happy and moving on. He deserved someone much better than her. She had too much baggage.

"Can I ask one question?" Alice asked.

"Sure. What?"

"Who will help _you_?"

Isabella didn't know how to answer. "I can't answer that."

"I'm here if you need me. I will help in any way I can."

Isabella smiled, loving Alice that much more. "I can't ask that, Ali. You have a wedding to plan."

"That doesn't matter. I am here. Believe that, okay? Call me whenever you need to talk."

Isabella was able to smile after she hung up with Alice, promising to call and message her as much as possible. Even though her friends were thousands of miles away, they were the best she could ask for.

-T-T-T-

Isabella secured the towel around her head and opened the door to her bedroom, yelping in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"Now is that any way to greet your husband?" Mike asked, lounging on the bed, twirling her cell phone between his fingers. She had never had a lock her phone, but now she was seriously considering it, not that she had anything to hide.

She opened drawers, taking out clothes in a fury. Her suitcase still sat unopened on the bed. "You won't be my _husband_ that much longer." She hated the bitter taste it left on her tongue.

Mike laughed cynically, throwing her phone on the bed and rising to his full height. "We'll see about that, won't we?"

She only shook her head, clamping her mouth shut.

He turned in the door, leaning against it with one hand in his expensive suit pocket. "Aro and Cecilia are coming for dinner. Wear something nice and change that fucking attitude. I can't have my beautiful wife acting like a child in front of important people."

"I can't. I have work to do."

Mike stepped into her room again, one hand behind his back. "I think you will."

Isabella rose to her full height, securing her robe tightly around her middle when she saw his eyes lingering on her breasts. "No. I don't think so."

A slow, sinister smile spread across his thin lips, exposing his white teeth. He brought forth his hand from behind his back, showing Isabella a manila envelope. "Based on what I have in here, you will do as I say if you ever intend to get this divorce."

Isabella's heart sank to the bottom of her soles.

Her eyes flickered between Mike's face and the manila envelope.

She swallowed. "And what exactly is that?"

Mike tapped the envelope with his fingers. "Just evidence of what you, or should I say, whom, you did in Hawaii."

She buckled, bracing herself on the dresser. The light at the end of the tunnel diminished and she was yanked back to hell. Swallowing the vomit rising in her throat, she stood up straight. She couldn't allow him to see her weakness.

"These are some interesting photographs, let me tell you. I was so surprised when they showed up in my email."

Isabella blinked, Edward flashing through her mind.

How could she have been so stupid?

They were out in the open, anyone could have seen them.

Why hadn't she paid better attention?

She should have known Mike would have someone watching her.

"What do you want?" She breathed out.

Mike's smile widened. There was no trace of the smiling, gentle man she met all those years ago. "Oh, I'm so glad you asked."

He stepped closer, his cold fingers running down her cheek and into her robe, stopping just before he reached her breasts. "If you want this divorce to happen quietly, and I know you do, you will be my wife. Go with me to events; kiss me in public, and fucking smile. After all, we have an image to protect."

"Why would I do that? There's no reason why I would do that."

He waved the envelope in front of her eyes. "Isn't there? I can make your life a fucking train wreck if you don't do this. And this fellow, he can say goodbye to his life, too. You know I will do this."

She closed her eyes, feeling backed into a corner. "And if I do this, you will sign those divorce papers and burn those pictures?"

"Now, I didn't say that, exactly. I will give you the divorce," he stepped closer, invading her personal space and smelling of bourbon. "But only when I decide you deserve it. Only then, I will sign those fucking papers."

That could be weeks.

Months.

Years!

God, she hated this, but to protect Edward she would do it. She knew the lengths Mike could go to destroy not only her life but Edward's as well.

She could do this to protect him.

"Fine, but on one condition," she bargained. She needed this to work.

Mike stuffed his hand back into his suit jacket. "And what do would that be?"

"I keep this room and you let me have my space, my business, and my money." It was the least he could do.

He nodded. "Okay. That's no problem at all."

Isabella stood still as Mike leaned forward kissing her cheek, lingering longer than she felt comfortable with. "I'm glad we could work this out."

He turned to leave, but paused, looking over his shoulder at her. "Now get dressed. Our company will be here soon and put a fucking smile on your face."

The door clicked closed.

Isabella fell heavily on the bed, the tears she battled to keep at bay, streaming down her face. She grabbed a pillow and screamed into it with abandon.

She had no way out now without destroying Edward's life in the progress.

With trembling hands, she dressed herself, securing the necklace back around her neck. She had nothing to hide anymore and this was her only ray of hope.

Putting on that _fucking_ smile, she descended the stairs and greeted Aro and Cecilia, pretending once again that everything was fine.

* * *

 **A/N: Mike's an ass, I know, but he will get what he deserves.  
**

 **A little more of her character and situation is revealed. What are your thoughts on it? I wanna know what you're thinking.**

 **Abuse, in any form, should not be taken lightly. If you or anyone else you know is being abused, please get help. You are important!**

 **Thank you all again for joining me and for those reviews. You're awesome! xoxo**

 **See you next Tuesday, lovelies... 3**


	7. Love Bites

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, winterhorses and Hopesparkles are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

 _ **I'm going to stress this once more. This. Is. Fiction! Not everything will be true or realistic in this story!**_

* * *

 _Love Bites_ _by Def Leppard  
Love bites, Love bleeds  
It's bringin' me to my knees  
Love lives, Love dies_

Chapter 6

Friday morning, Isabella was putting on her makeup, hiding those dark circles underneath her eyes, when her bedroom door burst open.

"Good morning, my dear wife. I hope you slept well." Mike made himself comfortable on the bed, flicking some lint off his expensive Armani suit.

Isabella lowered her mascara and took a deep breath. She would need to take up yoga or some kind of relaxation technique if she was going to survive this façade. She hadn't even been home twenty-four hours and already she couldn't sleep.

Last night with Aro and Cecilia had taken a toll on her mentally. Cecilia had fussed over her when she hadn't been very responsive. The truth was, her mind kept wandering to Edward and what would happen to him if she ran.

Oh, how she wanted to run.

Was this what love felt like?

To sacrifice for the sake of another?

As the two couples had retired to the sitting room where the fireplace burned low and created a warm glow in the room, Mike had pinched her thigh quite forcefully.

"Snap the fuck out of it," he had growled in her ear, turning to smile at Aro and Cecilia.

The meaning of _wolf in sheep's_ clothing had never been truer than at that moment. How Mike was able to smile and pretend everything was fine, was beyond her. She could barely maintain her fake laugh.

"Were you born in a barn?" Isabella turned to Mike, wanting to wipe that smirk off his face. "Next time, knock."

She put on her glasses, forgoing her contacts today. Her eyes still itched from lack of sleep.

Mike stepped up behind her, looking at her in the mirror. He braced his hands on the dresser on either side of her waist. "Darling, remember our deal. This is my house and I will go into any room whenever I please."

Isabella looked into his cold blue eyes, wondering where the sweet man from six years ago had gone. She couldn't see any trace of him.

Mike kissed her neck, inhaling her scent. "God, you smell delicious."

Isabella's spine straightened in fear, nausea rising in her throat.

"Dimitri will drive you to your _office_. He will be your driver from now on." He said the word office as if it were a garbage dump.

Isabella turned to face him. "No…"

Mike's finger pressed against her lips, his brows furrowed and his lips set in a straight line. "Don't you fucking argue with me. This is the way I want it and you will do as I say."

Mike turned to leave and Isabella followed closely. "Mike, I am doing everything you asked already. At the very least, let me drive myself to work."

At the top of the stairs, Mike turned, causing Isabella to bump into him. He grabbed her upper arm and squeezed hard. "No, and that's final."

He continued down the stairs and out the door.

Running sounded so good right now.

Movement caught her eyes, and she turned to watch Maria turn on her heel, and head back into the kitchen. There was no way she could run without Mike finding out from one of the house staff.

How much money had he promised them if they spied for him?

Mike was paranoid and Isabella knew he wouldn't have left the house if he thought she was a flight risk. He wouldn't have left without leaving someone behind to watch her.

With shaking breath, she fingered the star on the necklace, closing her eyes and imagined a happier, safer time. A smile formed on her lips as she thought of Edward and how they had playedin the water. How easy it had been to forget.

But she knew she would have to find something else to occupy her mind **.** Edward would fade as sure as her soul would.

-T-T-T-

The smell of fabric greeted her as she stepped into her small shop. Dimitri pulled away from the curb, telling her that he would pick her up for lunch along with Mike.

As if she could eat with such company.

The bridesmaids dress she had worked on before she had left for Hawaii hung close to her sewing machine. It would only be a half an hour job and then she could work on that little black dress she had planned to have finished for her trip to Hawaii.

Like a traitor, she wondered how Edward would have liked the dress on her.

Would he take it off slowly?

Or tear it from her body?

With a heavy sigh, she slumped into her chair. There had to be a way to stop these thoughts. Powering on her laptop, she started looking for a yoga studio in the area.

Any way to help fight the anxiety with Mike and to keep her mind off Edward.

With a short laugh, she shook her head. Those two names didn't deserve to be in the same sentence. They were the complete opposite.

There was a gym just a block away that housed a yoga studio. She made plans to check it out in the afternoon before Dimitri picked her up for lunch.

The bridesmaid dress had just been finished when the door flung open and a disheveled young woman stormed inside.

"Hello, welcome to Izzy's Fabrics and Alterations," Isabella greeted the flushed woman.

"Hi," the woman huffed, plopping a big bag on the counter. "Can you help me? Please tell me that you can help me."

Isabella opened the bag and pulled out a wedding dress. "What seems to be the problem?"

The woman pushed her black hair over her shoulders, her blue eyes pleading with Isabella. "It doesn't fit."

Isabella studied the gown. It was heavy in her hands, the pearls and beads in a unique pattern on the bust. "And the bridal shop where you purchased it can't hem it for you?"

"Yeah, they could, but my wedding is tomorrow and they said that they wouldn't be able to get it done today." The woman started to pace in front of the counter, her hands gripping her hair.

Isabella smiled, hoping to reassure her. "Okay. I think I can help you …"

The woman stopped and squeezed Isabella's hands. "Oh thank God. Thank you. Thank you so much."

With a laugh, Isabella nodded. "No problem. Let's get you in here and we'll figure something out, okay?"

The woman nodded, removing her shoes and putting her purse on the counter. "I'm Leah, by the way. I think you just saved my life."

"Oh I don't know about that," Isabella replied, feeling her cheeks warm.

"In this case, yes. My mother would have killed me if the dress hadn't fit just _perfectly_." Leah laughed from behind the curtain.

Isabella knew about having a mother like that. Renee was like a gypsy when it came to men or moving across the country, but as it came time to plan Isabella's wedding, Renee had been 'all hands on deck'.

She had always gushed, "A man like Mike is hard to find, sweetie. Remember, be a good wife and take care of him and he will take care of you."

At that time, Isabella had been stressed with wedding details, but now she understood what her mother had meant. Renee had only seen the money.

Charlie didn't have much, being content to live from paycheck to paycheck as long as he was able to pay the bills. When he passed, he had left his house to Isabella, and the small amount of savings he had, was used to pay for the funeral. The sale of his house had been the payment for this shop. Isabella couldn't be a socialite, like Mike's mother. She needed to do something to occupy her time.

What would Renee think of Mike now?

Or would she still spew the same bullshit about being a doting wife as long as it came with a big payout?

Isabella hadn't spoken to her mother since Christmas last year. Renee and Phil had been so excited about going on a world tour at the time, that they hadn't noticed the tension between Isabella and Mike. For her birthday, Isabella had received a postcard from Venice and some tacky bracelet she would never wear.

She didn't know her mother and her mother didn't know her, either.

Isabella's heart sank. She could really use her mother right now, even though she had no idea where in the world Renee was.

How would she explain her situation?

"So how come it doesn't fit anymore?" Isabella asked, tucking in the fabric around Leah's waist and pinning it down.

"It did fit," Leah, explained. "After Sam proposed, a year ago, I was so excited to get married that I went out and bought the first dress I liked." She lifted the dress for emphasis.

"I got it fitted, thinking I'd never lose or gain weight. I've been this size for a few years. I should have heeded the sales woman's advice when she told me not to buy it so soon, wait another six to seven months."

"What happened?" Isabella inquired, making notes and marking down Leah's measurements.

"My best friend and I went backpacking through Europe this summer. You know, one last hurrah before the wife duties begin. Well, I guess with so much exercise, I lost a few pounds."

Isabella chuckled and motioned for Leah to take off her dress.

"I wouldn't have noticed if my grandma hadn't asked to see me in my dress," Leah continued. "She arrived yesterday for the wedding and wanted to see the dress on me. Some sort of approval. Well, imagine my surprise when it started to slip," she chuckled, emerging from behind the dressing curtains.

Isabella found a liking to Leah. She was a free spirit and it sure kept her mind away from her troubled life.

"Are you married?" Leah asked, taking Isabella by surprise. She didn't wear her ring anymore, but legally she was still married.

She kept her eyes on the task at hand while answering. "Yes, I am."

"How long?"

"Six years."

Leah whistled. "Six years. That seems like a lifetime."

"You have no idea," Isabella muttered to herself.

"How do you do it?"

Isabella blanched.

How could she answer that truthfully?

 _Keep quiet and do as he wants?_

That wouldn't work. It would be too honest for a new bride. Isabella didn't want to be the reason Leah called off the wedding.

"Take it one day at a time and never, ever forget to communicate with one another."

That sounded like sound marriage advice, right?

Leah smiled. "I'll have to remember that."

Isabella explained the process of hemming the dress to Leah and promised to have it finished in the afternoon. Leah thanked her again and bid her goodbye, leaving Isabella in the quiet of her workspace once more.

Hemming wedding dresses was always a little on the difficult task. It was a delicate process, especially if they were embellished with pearls and had intricate designs on them. Not to mention the layers.

Isabella didn't notice the time as she worked, her mind solely on finishing what she promised. The doorbell jingled indicating a new customer.

"Mrs. Newton. I'm here to escort you to lunch with Mr. Newton," Dimitri said quietly.

Isabella assessed her work and she knew if she went out for lunch, she wouldn't be able to finish.

"I'm sorry, Dimitri. Please tell Mike I won't be able to make it. I have to finish this by the end of today. He'll understand."

Dimitri nodded and bid her goodbye, exiting the store without another word.

Would Mike understand?

She would find out later tonight.

As she worked, her mind, ever the lovesick fool, kept thinking back to Hawaii and Edward. Quite a few times, Isabella found herself sighing and shaking her head to clear her mind. Eventually, she turned on the radio, drowning out the what-ifs and maybes.

It was a dangerous slope she was on and the only way to redemption was to forget about Edward. However futile that may be.

-T-T-T-

Isabella finished the alterations late afternoon as promised. Leah gushed as she twirled in front of the mirror.

"It's perfect," she claimed. "Thank you again so much."

Isabella had blushed and told her a million times how welcome she was before the young bride-to-be left her shop. Leah had gone as far as to invite Isabella and her _husband_ to the wedding. She had wanted to thank the seamstress somehow.

With a thank you, Isabella declined, giving some ridiculous reason as to why they couldn't come. She couldn't imagine going to such a happy occasion with Mike.

With shaking hands, a feeling of dread in her stomach, she closed the oak doors to the mansion behind her. Dimitri had been jittery the entire drive, sending Isabella's fried nerves into overdrive.

What the hell had happened?

Mike was nowhere to be seen, but Isabella was no fool. He was here somewhere; lurking, getting ready to strike.

With her head held high, she started to ascend the stairs in need of a shower. Maria's bored voice stopped her. "Mrs. Newton."

"Yes?"

The housekeeper blinked at Isabella's irritated tone. "Mr. Newton has requested your company in his office."

Isabella's shoulders slumped. The hope of spending her evening alone went out the window. "Thank you, Maria."

Without another word, Maria turned on her heel and disappeared into the kitchen. Isabella wanted to stick out her tongue at theprofessional tone Maria used. They weren't the king and queen. There was no need to speak in such high-horsed English.

She would have been fine with ' _Mike wants you in his office, oh submissive Bella.'_

Discarding her coat and purse in her room, she chanced a glance at her reflection in the mirror, the star on her necklace gleaming in the light.

Her fingers brushed along the edges, drawing strength and courage to face her _husband_.

Feeling like a prisoner on death row, she entered Mike's massive office after knocking. His back was to her, his phone pressed against his ear. With a finger, he motioned for her to sit.

Isabella took a seat as he was saying goodbye. "Bella. Bella. Bella." Mike shook his head and tsked, his fingers steepled in front of his mouth. "What was that today?"

His scolding tone reminded her of her principal back in grade school. She remembered bouncing on her feet, her hands clasped behind her back and her head bowed towards the floor as Principal Cope had scolded her for pulling Irina's ponytail in recess.

Her brows furrowed. "What was what?"

Mike sneered and made his way around the desk, perching on it in front of her. "Don't act stupid. You canceled lunch."

He leaned forward, his hands clasping the armrests of her chair. She felt caged, exactly what he wanted. "Do you have any idea how bad that looked?"

When she didn't answer, he bellowed through the room, causing her to flinch. "Do you?"

Inhaling, she looked into his blue eyes. "I had no choice, I had a client."

"Client?" He laughed. "Client?"

Isabella's heart hammered in her chest, but she never wavered from his eye contact. She couldn't let him see the fear; the anxiety that bubbled just beneath the surface.

Mike's eyes narrowed, knowing his wife was showing strength he hadn't seen before. "Next time, remember your place. When I call, you answer. When I set a meeting and request your presence, you fucking show yourself and smile. Do you understand?"

Isabella sat still, the word _no_ sitting on the tip of her tongue, but fearing the consequences. The room felt like it was closing in on her, constricting her lungs and making it harder to breathe. Her hands sat clasped tightly in her lap, her knuckles white.

Mike skimmed his nose along her cheek and she froze, halting her breath. "Or have you forgotten our deal?"

He leaned back slightly, looking into her wide eyes. "Would you like to see what happens if you don't do as I say?"

She inhaled sharply, the stench of bourbon and his expensive cologne hitting her nostrils, causing nausea to rise.

 _Edward._

Mike grabbed a manila folder from his desk, waving it in front of her face. "You want this divorce?"

She nodded mutely.

"Of course. Well, in order for me to sign these, you have to do as I say." He put the manila folder back on the desk. "Don't bother dragging this through court. You know it will end badly."

This she knew.

It wasn't for nothing that Mike had the most ruthless lawyer in Seattle on his team. There was no doubt in her mind that he would make good on his promise, but to her it didn't matter.

Edward was what mattered.

She couldn't be the reason his life would be torn apart by Mike. Whatever it would take to keep him safe, she would do it. Even if it meant, pretending to be a doting wife for a while longer.

"Okay," she breathed out. "I know the deal." Defeat settled in her bones like heavy clay.

There was no reason she could give him about skipping lunch that would make him understand. Mike only cared about business and keeping an image.

After all, people did look up to him.

-T-T-T-

Three nights later, everything changed.

Mike burst into her room, his cold, calm mask replaced with worry and grief.

He looked so broken.

It was a glimpse of the man she used to know.

"What is it?" She asked, worried; her voice thick with sleep.

"It's my father," he whimpered, holding onto the door-frame for support.

"He had a heart attack."

* * *

 **A/N: Mike sure is a piece of work. Don't worry he'll get his.  
**

 **What did you think of Bella being a seamstress? I don't think that has been done that much, right? I have a sister-in-law who's a seamstress and she gave me pointers and suggestions with this chapter.**

 **Thanks for all the love you've shown for this story and I'm so glad (most) of you like it. You make me smile.**

 **Let me know what you think of this chapter.**

 **xoxo**


	8. Favorite Mistake

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _Favorite Mistake_ _by Autumn Hill  
_ _I've got your kisses memorized  
With you it's always borrowed time  
Then you disappear.  
How long until my heart breaks?_

Chapter 7

The sterile environment of the hospital wafted over Isabella as she followed Mike's hurried steps to the receptionist desk. Nurses and doctors in white coats bustled through the area. Isabella's eyes followed a small child as it walked with slow steps along the corridor. A breathing mask hid most of the delicate face of the boy.

Her heart broke for the child.

His green eyes met hers and she gasped as Edward's eyes flashed through her mind. When his eyes lit up with a smile, she smiled back, a lump stuck in her throat.

She spun back to Mike as the boy turned and walked away.

"Where can I find Mr. Newton?" Mike asked the redheaded receptionist. Dark circles surrounded her eyes and she looked exhausted.

"Are you family?" Victoria, according to the nametag, asked.

"I'm his _son_ ," Mike answered furiously.

Isabella placed her hand on his back, hoping to calm him. He turned to look at her, smiling lightly, grasping her hand in his, as if it were a lifeline.

Isabella wasn't sure what to make of the thousands of emotions running through her. On one hand, she wanted to run. She didn't want to see her father-in-law in this weakened state. She also didn't want to stand by Mike's side and pretend that everything was fine.

On the other hand, she also felt responsible for being supportive of Mike at this time. He and his father were close, constant meetings, golf, and tennis games. As an only child, Mike felt responsible for making his father proud. Isabella knew he would need someone by his side if his father would pass.

She needed to accept her fate as the wife of a powerful, abusive man and close the tunnel of hope that still burned inside of her. A hope to be free and be herself again.

With her hand still clasped tightly in Mike's, they followed the nurse to Marcus' room. Looking through the window, they saw a pale man lying on a bed with lots of wires and tubes connected to his body. It was Marcus, but the man in front of them didn't look like the vibrant, energetic man they knew.

Mike's breath shuddered, his shoulders slumping forward. "This seems so unreal. I played golf with him just the other day."

Isabella squeezed his hand, words lost to her. How could she comfort him? She couldn't just erase the words he had spewed at her just a few days ago. She couldn't forget the pain he had caused her, or the man he had become. This wouldn't change him, would it?

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

His eyes looked to hers, tears pooling in his eyes. "Thank you for being here."

Isabella looked away and cleared her throat, not wanting to feel remorse for him.

He squeezed her hand. "I know it probably doesn't mean much for me to say that, but I mean it."

Angry tears sprang to her eyes.

How could he be this gentle? Did he not know the pain she felt in her heart every time she looked at him? Did he forget what he had done?

Instead of answering, she only nodded.

Jane, Mike's mother, walked towards the pair with a styrofoam cup filled with coffee in her hand. Releasing Isabella, Mike hugged his mother. Fat tears rolled down Jane's cheeks and Isabella had to look away.

"Thank you for coming," Jane whispered in Isabella's ear as she hugged her daughter-in-law. Mike really had outdone himself when he had married Isabella. Jane knew that she hadn't seen Mike for the money, but for his character, and that was all a mother could want for their children.

If only the pair would start having children, then Jane's life would be complete. If her husband should pass, she would need something to occupy her time and grandchildren would be great, but she wouldn't push.

"How was Hawaii?" Jane asked, releasing Isabella.

Isabella's eyes flickered to Mike. He nodded to her and smiled gently. "It was wonderful to see my friends again," she answered truthfully.

"Mom, what happened?" Mike jumped in before Jane could ask more questions that Isabella wasn't ready to acknowledge.

Jane looked through the window at her frail husband. "I don't know. I was getting ready for bed when I heard his glass hit the floor. I found him in his study clutching at his chest."

Mike rubbed her shoulder when she sniffed again. "What did the doctor say?"

Jane laughed humorlessly. "Just the usual. That he is under too much stress. I guess his heart decided it was time to get his attention. You know your father; he won't stop unless he's pushed."

Mike nodded and took Isabella's hand again. "What can we do?"

"Stop talking business with him. It was to prevent this that we gave you the business. He needs to realize that, and if you stop running everything by him, he might let it go."

"Mom…" Mike started to protest.

"No, Michael. I know you want to do your father proud and you have, but I'm asking you this one thing. Please."

Mike exhaled and nodded. "Okay. I will. I can still golf with him, right?"

Jane's lips lifted in a small smile and turned to look at Marcus again. "If he survives this."

T-T-T-

Days turned into weeks as Marcus slowly recovered. He wasn't happy about the fact that he had to take things easier. Mike had volunteered Isabella's time to keep Marcus company, and to help his mother with the variety of charities on which she was working. It had happened one night at dinner and she had protested. Mike had squeezed her thigh hard enough to leave behind dark bruises. Biting her lip to keep from crying out, she had agreed.

As weeks turned into a month and then two, thoughts of Edward and the divorce were slowly slipping away. The necklace was still secured around her neck and she'd be damned if she took it off. The photograph was hidden in the box in the bottom drawer of her dresser and occasionally, as she was reaching for a pair of pants, she'd gaze at it in longing. But then she'd close the drawer before dwelling on those thoughts.

Isabella knew that Mike had her where he wanted her.

His puppet.

He could manipulate her in any way he pleased. Whenever she faltered, he'd dangle the unsigned divorce papers in front of her eyes with the promise to sign. And like a fool, she'd hold on to that hope only to have it crushed a short time later.

Christmas was fast approaching and Isabella had her hands full with trying to sell her business. She had wanted to keep it open, but with the endless work, Jane had her do for the charities, she was not able to handle both.

It wasn't a small task to accomplish. Izzy's Fabrics and Alterations was small, nestled between a few shops in a strip mall just north of downtown Seattle. Nowadays, nobody wanted a business that size. Everyone wanted something bigger.

"Okay, thank you. Bye." Isabella disconnected the call of yet another potential buyer, but he was like the rest, expressing his distaste of the small space.

Sighing heavily, she put the phone back in her purse and rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

"Bella?" Jane's voice came from upstairs, her heels clicking rapidly on the marble floors. "Oh, there you are, dear. Have you talked to the caterer and the florist?"

"Yes, just this morning," Isabella answered.

"Oh, good. Are they in understanding of what I want for this event?"

"The caterer is all in and knows exactly what you want. The florist, however…" Isabella started only to be interrupted by Jane.

"What about the florist? The event is just a few days away." Jane asked irritated, writing furiously on her clipboard. Her graying hair was tied into a bun at the base of her neck and her blue pantsuit brought out those fierce blue eyes.

"They don't have roses…" Isabella started again, her forehead throbbing full force with her headache.

"No roses?" Jane screeched her gaze livid. "What are we going to do?"

Isabella took the clipboard out of Jane's hand and urged her to sit. "Tulips."

"Tulips? Why on earth would we take tulips?"

Isabella smiled.

Tulips were gorgeous and the fact that they only bloomed in spring made them that much more special. The florists had a bunch flown in and wanted to sell them as soon as possible. Isabella had jumped at the opportunity. Those flowers deserved a chance and with the event being for charity, why not?

"Because they're beautiful," she smiled softly at the unbelieving look on Jane's face. "Think about it. Roses are used everywhere, at weddings, funerals and parties. Almost no one uses Tulips. It would be perfect. It would be something different."

Jane focused on Isabella's face, her eyes flickering over her delicate features. "Tulips… look good."

Isabella laughed. "Yes, they do. You're going to love them."

"I hope so," Jane muttered and scribbled on her clipboard.

Isabella enjoyed being around her mother-in-law, but like Mike, she knew that underneath that flawless makeup, Jane had a temper.

T-T-T-

Snowflakes fell towards the ground in a hypnotic rhythm. Isabella stood by her window observing, fascinated how each flake danced to the ground. Her fingers traced the necklace and she gazed towards the cloud-covered sky. It had been this way for days; cloudy, alternating between rain and snow.

Christmas lights hung from the roof of the mansion, casting different colors of light over the snow-covered deck. Her shoulders sagged with her sigh.

There was no light at the end of the tunnel now. She knew Mike would never sign those papers for her. She was stuck in this hell of a marriage until she… submitted?

Isabella figured it served her right. She had let herself fall into Edward's arms, committing the sin and this was her punishment.

Her door swung open and Mike stepped in, his eyes raking over her form. He had been altering between sweet and angry since his dad's heart attack. He had clung to her the first few weeks, telling her that he needed her. Each time, she had wanted to scream, yell, throw something as the hurt and despair surged through her.

Then, as his dad recovered, he had slipped back to his usual cold self. Yelling at her when she didn't meet his specific requirements, squeezing her arm to the point of bruising and kissing her in public.

She found herself becoming more attuned to his attitudes and behavior. She went along with it, finding it easier to bear with each passing day.

"The limo will be here shortly," he said, running his finger over her cheek. "You look stunning. Every man will be sick with envy tonight."

Isabella took a step back and his hand dropped. "Now, we don't want any of that tonight. You're my wife and you will act as such."

She knew all this, having performed it a million times over the past months. "I know."

He took her arm and led her down the stairs, his grip a little too tight. "Good. Then we won't have any problems."

Dimitri opened the back door to the limo with a smile. "Mr. and Mrs. Newton."

"Dimitri," Isabella smiled. "Did you get the gifts I sent for your children?"

Mike's grip tightened. He hated that Isabella could smile at his driver, but never show any emotion towards him.

Dimitri's cheeks tinged pink and he ducked his head. "Yes, Mrs. Newton. They loved the gifts so much. Thank you again."

Isabella's face didn't show the hurt she felt as Mike's fingers dug into her skin. She smiled and squeezed Dimitri's shoulder. "It was my pleasure."

Mike had seen enough and spun her around to face him, gripping her waist tightly. His lips covered hers, his tongue invading her mouth as she gasped. This would show her who she belonged to.

Isabella stood frozen, her lips unmoving, bile rising in her throat as his tongue fiddled in her mouth. With her hands on his chest, she pushed him away, wiping at her mouth, and the taste of bourbon covering her lips.

"Mhmm, so sweet," Mike drawled, dismissing the look of disgust on Isabella's face. "Maybe we can continue that after the event."

Tonight, Isabella could only hope Mike would drink himself into oblivion and forget about that promise. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle his hands on her skin.

T-T-T-

Isabella put on her smile and held onto Mike's arm as they emerged from the limo. He pulled her close to him, squeezing her already bruised hip. He smiled and waved as the cameras flashed.

He was in his element.

Pulling her close, he kissed her cheek. "Now give me a kiss. Show these people that we are _the_ couple."

"But we are not a couple," she argued through clenched teeth.

His hand on her hips tightened again. "Yes, we are. Now fucking act like it."

Wincing from the pain, she turned her head and kissed his lips lightly, still wearing that fucking smile. The cameras clicked and flashed. Briefly, Edward with his camera flashed through her mind.

Her smile faltered just a touch.

Jane had outdone herself. The ballroom was covered with ribbons, and tulips, and champagne was being passed around by the wait staff. A giant, decorated Christmas tree was the main focus of the room, illuminated by thousands of lights. Men in tuxes and women in the most elegant dresses occupied the space. The who's who out of all fifty states were present. The name Newton carried a long way and when such an event was hosted, everyone would be present. Tabloids would be screaming with gossip by the morning.

It was supposed to be about charity and no doubt, a lot of money would be raised, but how much of it would actually make it to those that needed it.

Mike dragged her around the room, shaking hands with every man that came his way, introducing her as his wife. With most of them, he talked business and joked about the current economy.

Eventually, they took their seats by his parents. Jane introduced the charity and asked everyone to open up their wallets. The food was served and after the five-course meal, Mike pulled Isabella onto the dance floor.

"What must I do to make you smile at me?" He asked close to her ear, slowly spinning around the floor.

"I think you know," she whispered.

Mike nodded against her shoulder and continued to dance in silence. Isabella gazed around the room, at the unfamiliar faces when her breath hitched.

There was no mistaking that hair.

"What's the matter?" Mike asked concerned, his eyes flickering between hers.

Isabella's eyes roamed around the spot where she had just seen him, not finding anything. She shook her head. "Nothing."

"There was something. I saw you flinch and I certainly heard that gasp. Tell me," he urged.

She tried to smile reassuringly but probably failed. "Don't worry about it. It was nothing."

"Isabella," he warned, his eyes becoming angry.

She shook her head and pulled away from his arms. "I need to go to the bathroom," she said and rushed through the throngs of people into the hallway containing the restrooms.

As she reached for the handle, she was pulled into a muscular chest and into the broom closet across the hall. She screeched, but a large hand covered her mouth. Fear gripped her heart as the possibilities ran through her mind. Mike finally found a way to get what he wanted from her.

"Shhh," the male voice whispered. "It's me."

Her heart stuttered in her chest.

Could this be real?

His scent told her she was right. Spinning around, she came face to face with those gorgeous green eyes that had haunted her dreams for months.

"Edward," she breathed, clutching the lapels of his tux jacket.

"Bella," he whispered, his breath washing over her cheeks as he kissed the corner of her mouth.

Her eyes widened and she pushed him away. "You can't be here. You have to go." Panic started to set in at the possibility of Mike finding her with Edward.

His eyebrows scrunched together and his gaze was questioning. "What are you…?"

"Look, it's not safe for you to be here. He can't see you. Please, Edward," she pleaded.

She reached for the door handle, but he stopped her. "Bella."

His voice was the same plea as that night in the ocean by the boardwalk, just before he had made love to her. Her breath faltered and her eyes closed, letting the memories wash over her for the first time in months.

"Please," she pleaded again, afraid that she'd lose herself in him again.

"Bella, please look at me." Edward's voice was so close, his breath washing over her neck.

She shook her head. "What are you doing here?"

He sighed. "Alice. She was worried about you when you didn't return her phone calls." He paused, his hands brushing down her arm. "We're all worried about you," he breathed against her neck.

She swallowed, hot tears pooling her eyes. Cutting off contact with Alice and Lauren wasn't the best idea, but it had kept her focused on the task at hand. Isabella knew if she had let Alice and Lauren know what Mike was doing, her friends would have stopped at nothing to get her out of his clutches.

That would leave Edward exposed and Mike would have destroyed him and her in the process.

"You can't be here," she breathed.

"Why not?"

"He will destroy you," she confessed, closing her eyes and fighting back tears.

Edward spun her around, grasping her shoulders lightly. "What are you talking about? What's going on?"

She hiccupped, the past months of despair catching up with her. "He… he has pictures."

Edward looked confused. "What kind of pictures?"

"Of us. He had someone follow me while I was in Hawaii and now he has pictures."

Edward released her shoulders and stepped back, his fingers running roughly through his hair. It was untamed as usual and she liked it. It was shorter around the edges and his face was clean-shaven.

"Those aren't pictures of us." His voice was small and quiet, his shoulders hunched and defeated.

"What?" She asked.

His eyes met hers, sunken and heart-broken. "Did you see the pictures?"

She shook her head. "No."

A flicker of hope passed over his features but was gone just as fast. "Look at them. They're not pictures of us."

"Then what are…" She gasped, her hand covering her mouth and shaking her head widely, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. "No. Please, no."

"Bella, please let me…"

"It was you! You were the one that he hired to spy on me, weren't you?"

He nodded mutely, his eyes on the floor. "Please let me explain."

"Explain what? That you got paid by that slimeball to photograph me with another man? Did he pay you to sleep with me? Seduce me?"

She grabbed the door handle and ran out of the closet, her mind reeling.

"Bella," Edward's voice called out to her, his footsteps heavy on the floor as he followed her.

Hot tears ran down her cheeks, her hiccups loud as she grabbed the nearest cab. Her necklace caught her attention in the glass window and she yanked it from her neck, letting it fall to the wet pavement.

"Bella, wait!"

Looking over her shoulder to see him running down the steps, she gave the cab driver her address. As the taxi left the curb, she watched Edward pick up the necklace through the rear-view mirror. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she sobbed. She had been so stupid and naïve to think that Edward would be different from any other man.

She had fallen in love with him.

But now she knew.

Every man was the same.

Manipulative and sinister.

Grabbing her suitcase out of her closet, she stuffed it with her necessities, wiping tears as she went. At the top of the stairs, her eyes flickered to Mike's office, Edward's words ringing in her ear.

 _Those are not pictures of us._

With a pounding heart, she searched through the files on his desk. No manila envelope containing pictures. She spun in his chair and faced his safe.

They had to be in there.

She tried his birthday as a combination, their wedding anniversary but none of them worked. The day his dad passed over the business was an important day to Mike. She tried that date and the lock clicked open.

 _Why am I not surprised_ , she thought bitterly.

Their unsigned divorce papers lay on top and a few files down she found a manila envelope. The pictures were of her with Alice and Lauren at the spa that day following the reunion. Five photos of her smiling and enjoying her time with friends.

Throwing them onto Mike's desk, she clicked on his email icon. Surely, he had to have contact with Edward.

Some kind of a business transaction.

Scrolling through a ton of emails from his business contacts, she found it.

 _To: mikenewton  
_

 _From: emcullen_

 _Subject: Proof_

 _Mr. Newton,_

 _There are no indiscretions to report about your wife. She spent her time with her former high school friends during her stay here in Honolulu. Attached are pictures. No payment will be needed on this matter._

 _Thank you for your business,_

 _Edward Masen Cullen  
JW Securities_

* * *

 **A/N: Big sigh of Relief? Or not?  
**

 **At least, he did not send compromising photos. She ripped the necklace and found out the truth. Now the hard part is for him to seek forgiveness. Stay tuned to see how that will go.**

 **Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

 **Find me on Facebook: Chrissie Purple**


	9. Roller Coaster

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 ** _Roller Coaster_** _by Luke Bryan  
And we spent that week wide open  
Upside down beside the ocean  
I didn't know where it was goin'  
Just tryin' to keep my heart on the tracks  
I should've known that kind of feelin'  
Would last longer than that week did  
Blown away and barely breathin'  
Sunday came and it was over  
Now she's got me twisted  
Like an old beach roller coaster_

Chapter 8

 _3 weeks after Isabella left the Island._

Rays of light flitted across the water in the early morning as Edward jogged along the trail circulating the bay. His skin was sweat soaked, his black T-shirt clinging to his form. Earbuds in his ear, blasting the loudest and harshest music he could find if only to get her out of his mind.

His Bella.

He never told her the name he had picked for her, too afraid of it being intimate. Now he scoffed at the thought. They had been intimate in more ways than one and that silly nickname wouldn't have meant a thing.

No, that was a lie and he knew it. That name would mean she had made her way into his heart, but he couldn't let her know. The problem was, she was there; in every corner and every inch, dominating him and making him bleed.

Sweet Torture.

Edward figured that if he fucked her multiple times she would be out of his system when she left. But, by God, he had been so wrong. With each minute they spent together the dread of losing her ate him alive.

 _But she's not yours_ , he reminded himself.

With a frustrated groan, he pushed himself forward, the muscles in his legs screaming in protest. It didn't mask the pain he felt in his chest, where her sweet face reminded him of what he'd done.

In front of his condominium building, he braced his hands on his knees, taking labored breaths. Sniffing, he wiped at his eyes, a mixture of sweat and tears glistening on his hands.

 _Why couldn't I just say no?_ He questioned himself for the thousandth time. His decision would forever haunt him especially if he saw her again at Jasper and Alice's wedding.

A tap on his shoulder brought him upright to find Alice scowling at him. Her expression told him why she was here. Her mouth moved and he yanked the earbuds from his ears.

"What?"

She huffed. "I said you look like shit."

He smiled ruefully, balling the towel in his hands. "Thanks … like I needed a reminder."

When she remained silent, he looked at her again, the silence unnerving. He'd much rather have her screaming and yelling at him for what a fool he'd been. Alice didn't know the extent of his involvement with Bella, but he figured since they had danced together at the luau, Alice must have figured it out. Especially, since he had left with Bella and spent the night with her.

"Can I do something for you?" Edward asked slightly irritated.

Alice took the towel from his hands. "Yeah, you can tell me what you were thinking. It would be a start, at least."

Edward opened the door to his condo and let her enter ahead of him, the silence between them stretching on for miles. Filling a glass with water, he downed it in a few gulps, observing Alice arranging the magazines on his coffee table.

She could never leave his shit alone.

"I'm staying here until you tell me," she said, lifting her eyes to meet his, then folding the blanket on his couch. "I know Bella's side of what happened. Now I want to know it from you."

This caught him by surprise. "You talked to her? When? What did she say? How is she?"

Shutting his mouth to keep from interrogating Alice about Bella, he turned to the sink again, glaring at the dirty dishes.

Alice sighed, shaking her head slightly. "What were you two thinking? What in God's green earth made you think it would be okay to sleep with a married woman?"

"I wasn't thinking," Edward yelled, spinning on his heel to face her. "I just wanted…" he trailed off.

"What?" Alice glared at him. "What did you want? To take advantage of a woman with emotional baggage the size of this island? What?"

Edward let his head fall to his chest, the truth in her words crushing him. "Her," he whispered towards the floor. "I wanted _her_."

Silence met his answer, and slowly, he lifted his gaze to Alice. "I wanted to… rescue her. Make her feel worthwhile."

Alice scoffed. "A hell of a job that did."

He nodded, gripping his hair. "I know, but you talked to her. What did she say?"

"I don't know if I should tell you. She would not be happy if she knew that I was telling you, but…" she trailed off, sighing and motioning for him to take a seat at the table. "Maybe it will help you pull your head out of your ass."

He was met with yet another glare when he chuckled darkly. "Do you know the reason she was here?"

"For the reunion, right?"

Alice nodded. "Yes and no." A look of disgust crossed her delicate face. "Her husband, Mike… he's… um… oh God."

Fat tears ran down her cheeks and she buried her face in her hands as she started to cry.

"What the fuck are you saying?" Edward growled, his hand clutching the glass so tightly that he thought it would shatter. "Did he lay a hand on her?"

"She… she never said anything. Bella thinks that the less people know, the easier it will get, but she's not thinking straight. She's afraid of him."

The chair scraped harshly along the floor as Edward bolted from his seat. The glass shattered into a million pieces as it made contact with the wall, causing Alice to flinch.

He gripped his hair, his eyes stinging with the truth. "Fuck."

"Yeah," Alice whispered, wiping at her eyes.

"We have to do something," Edward stated, turning to face her. "There has to be something."

His mind spun with possibilities of what he could do to rescue her – to take her away from that monster.

Alice shook her head. "Bella told me specifically not to do anything. She said that she's handling it. Did you know that she filed for divorce before she came here?"

Edward shook his head, shocked.

"Yeah and she said that she's thinking of moving back here once the divorce is final," Alice continued, a small, sad smile on her lips.

Was it wrong that he felt hope spring in his heart at that tidbit of information? Would she still want to be with him?

He shook his head. If she found out what he did, she would never want to see him again. He wouldn't blame her, either.

"This isn't like Kate, is it?" Alice asked when he remained silent.

The question surprised him. No one but Jasper and his buddies from the precinct in Denver knew about Kate. He hadn't seen or heard from her in four years, much less thought about her. She was his past and he wanted to keep it that way.

"What makes you say that?"

Alice smiled, taking a napkin and wiping at her eyes again. "You. You're different now."

"How would you know? I never told you about Kate," he stated defensively.

She shook her head and threw the soiled napkin in the trash. "No, you didn't, but Jasper mentioned it. He didn't divulge anything big, but it was enough for me to understand you better."

Edward went to his closet and got the dustpan and broom, sweeping the glass together. "You should mind your own business, then," he quipped, hating that Alice was so perceptive.

"When it comes to one of my best friends, I will make it my business," she retorted, cocking her eyebrow at him in challenge.

"Well, then remind me never to say anything to Jasper again."

She laughed, "Like that would help. You may think you are this mysterious, elusive man, but I know you Edward Cullen. You wear your emotions on your sleeve and based on your reaction when I told you that I had spoken to Bella, tells me everything I need to know."

Edward threw the broken glass in the garbage. "She's nothing like Kate," he confessed, not looking at her.

"That's good but also very bad. Why couldn't you wait until she was single again?"

Frustration boiled in his veins. "I have to get ready for work, Alice. Jasper is expecting me in half an hour."

Alice grinned, rising from her seat. "Ignore this all you want, but sooner or later you will have to face the consequences, Masen."

In his heart, he knew that she was right, but he wasn't ready to face them yet.

-T-T-T-

Days became weeks and then months, and Edward started to lose it when he heard nothing about Bella from Alice. Whenever he asked, she only shook her head with a sad smile.

 _What did that mean?_

Had she talked to Bella, but wouldn't tell him?

If he didn't consider Jasper to be his best friend, he would wring the pixie's neck for not disclosing information. He laughed, knowing that Jasper would have his head if he did anything to his fiancé.

That sickening feeling emerged and he yanked at his hair again for the millionth time.

Edward had to give Alice credit. After their _heart to heart_ , she had done everything to get him to come out of the shell he had built around himself. He obliged her, hoping that she would tell him something.

After one too many luaus and outings with friends, he had enough. It had been months since he heard anything that concerned Bella and he was going stir crazy.

Did the divorce go through?

Where was she?

Was she safe?

Three weeks before Christmas, a knock sounded on his door.

Groaning, he opened the door. "I swear to God, Alice. I can't do this anymore."

Alice was accompanied by Jasper, and by the tears in Alice's eyes, it wasn't good.

Edward looked between the two of them, worry and fear gripping his heart. "What is it?"

She thrust a paper in his hand, pushing past him into his home. Pacing, she started to pick up leftover containers from his coffee table, putting them in the trash.

Edward looked to Jasper and then down to the paper. Bella's face caught his attention first. She looked sad, broken and lost.

His finger traced her delicate cheek when he saw the scum standing by her side with a smug smile on his face. His arm was wrapped around Bella's waist, holding her close.

Edward's heart plummeted to the soles of his shoes.

 _She was still with him_.

"Alice, what is this? I didn't need…"

She barreled out of his kitchen, silencing him with her look as she pointed at the paper. "Look."

He shook his head, faintly hearing Jasper close the door behind him. "Yeah, I see. She's still with him…"

"No," Alice interrupted. "Look at her face and her body language."

Edward furrowed his brow and looked at Bella's face again.

He studied her.

Tense.

Forced smile.

"She doesn't look happy."

"Exactly," Alice quipped, starting to fill his dishwasher with dirty dishes. No one said another word as the dishes clanged and clattered.

"Have you talked to her?" Edward asked Alice.

She shook her head, her big hazel eyes filling with tears once again. "No. She won't accept my calls, or Lauren's. She's shut herself away from all the people that really love her. She's determined to do this on her own, no matter what."

"I have to go," Edward surmised, rising from his seat. He was determined to get to her and take her away. Anywhere, he didn't care, as long as it was far away from that bastard Michael Newton.

"Mase," Jasper stopped him. "What do you think you're doing?"

Edward pushed against Jasper's hands, which were now on his chest. "I have to get to her. She needs to…"

"What, exactly?" Jasper asked his voice stern. "You can't go barreling into her life and expect her to run away with you."

"The hell I can't," Edward defended.

"Masen," Alice's hand rubbed his arm. "Think about it, please."

"What's there to think about?" He questioned, anger rising. "She needs to be freed from that son of a bitch."

Jasper pushed against his shoulder, forcing him to step back and take a seat. "Mase, Ali is right. Think about it before you go at it half-cocked. This Michael Newton is a powerful man. He has money, lawyers; everything that you don't."

He thrust the paper in Edward's face. "By the expression on her face, I'd say he has some kind of leverage against her." He pointed at Bella and Edward looked again.

She was still so beautiful.

"She's doesn't want to be there, as you can tell. She's scared," Jasper continued, drawing a crying Alice into his arms.

Edward sighed. "What can we do? There has to be something, right?" He hated this feeling of helplessness. What he hated more was that fuckwit Michael Newton. That fucker was keeping her in a loveless marriage and enjoying it, by the look of the smile on _his_ face.

Jasper sighed and took a seat opposite from Edward. "There isn't much we can do. Based on the search I did, this Newton fellow has enough money to buy the best legal team and he isn't afraid to use said money to cover his tracks."

"That's it, then?" Edward asked the hope he had dying in his chest. "We just let her stay in that fucked up marriage?"

"I didn't say that," Jasper retorted. "We could do what we do best. We could investigate him and see what we find."

Alice was about to say something, but Edward stopped her. "I'm doing this on my own then."

"That's not a good idea," Jasper started.

"I don't care," Edward replied, his voice rising. "I need to do this on my own."

Jasper opened his mouth, but Alice's hand on his arm stopped him. "Let him. He feels responsible and this will give him a way to rectify what happened."

Jasper and Edward exchanged looks. He was more responsible than Alice could ever know.

-T-T-T-

On the eve of the charity event that Mr. and Mrs. Newton were attending, Edward had gathered enough evidence for that fuckwit to sign the papers and let Bella go. After two weeks of following him around Seattle, observing his habits and personality, Edward was confident that _he_ would sign without a fuss.

Now to let Bella know of his plan.

Fuck, just to be near her again had set his heart ablaze with hope and desperation. He inhaled deeply, letting the scent of tulips enter his lungs and play out the precious memories he had of them together. That was until he had to open his big mouth and spill his secret.

" _Those aren't pictures of us."_

The look of hurt and regret shining in her eyes would forever haunt him. _"No. Please, no,"_ she had whimpered, big fat tears rolling down her cheeks as she had put the pieces of the puzzle together.

His heart broke, but she was out the door and in a cab before he could stop her and explain.

How would he explain?

What could he possibly say to make her understand?

The cool of the necklace chilled his hand as he extracted it from the slush-covered pavement. His eyes traced the outline of the stars, remembering that first night in the ocean where she had willingly given him her body.

Knowing that she had worn the necklace all this time gave him a small sliver of hope. To him, it meant that she had thought about him, too.

Edward was brought out of his trip down memory lane and fucked up avenue as Newton exited the doors, laughing with a few other men. He gritted his teeth, pocketing the broken necklace and quickly stepped into the shadow of the alley.

Newton exchanged pleasantries and got into the waiting limo at the curb. His expression wasn't pleasant and Edward figured that if Bella were at their house, she would not be met with a happy husband.

God, the thought of him laying a hand on her, made Edward sick to his stomach.

He took the nearest cab and followed the limo to the Newton mansion, in hopes that he wouldn't be too late. Over the weeks, as Edward had observed Michael, he hoped for an opportunity to talk to Bella and explain his plan, but a member of the Newton family had always surrounded her.

Tonight had been his one opportunity, but he had blown it. However, maybe something good could come out it if he could get Michael to sign the fucking papers that would free Bella from his clutches.

Running the layout of the mansion through his mind, Edward snuck up the empty stairs, his heart pounding in his chest.

He heard no voices.

That could be either good or bad.

"What the fuck?" Michael yelled, causing Edward to stop at the top of the stairs.

"Bella, where the fuck are you?" Michael yelled again. "Get your fucking ass in here now?"

Edward's teeth gritted hard as he listened to him degrade Bella.

"Bella!" Michael yelled again, stepping into the hallway and making his way along the corridor into a bedroom.

Edward tried a door and found it open, quickly sneaking in, keeping the door open just a tad for him to be able to see Newton.

"Fuck," Michael yelled again and Edward heard the distinct noise of a call being made on a cellphone. "She's gone."

Silence met Edward's ear as the other person on the line responded.

"I know that, but she doesn't know anything. She'll keep quiet. Just find her, for fuck's sake, and drag her back here by the hair if you have too. You'll be rewarded," Michael finished the call, stepping back into his office.

Edward closed his eyes, praying that Bella knew what she was doing and was staying out of sight. He'd have to make this quick and hopefully he could save her.

Channeling all his anger at the bastard on the other side of that door, he pushed it open slowly. The office was in havoc, causing Edward to smile. Papers and pictures were strewn on the desk, the safe wide open as a disheveled Michael stood evaluating the mess. Bella had done as he had told her. She knew now what those pictures contained.

The door creaked and Michael turned to face Edward. "Who the fuck are you? What are you doing in my house?"

Edward smiled cynically. "I'm here to collect."

"Collect what, you asshole?" Michael seethed. "Who the fuck are you?"

Slowly, as to make it sweeter, Edward reached into his suit pocket and retrieved the envelope containing the evidence he had gathered. "You may call me Ed. I'm here to collect on behalf of your _wife_."

"Collect on behalf of my wife? What the fuck does that mean?"

Edward motioned for Michael to sit, and to his surprise, the bastard took a seat. Slowly, he started to put photographs on the desk. "You see, I know all about you. I know that you have whores on the side, and yet, you keep your wife at home in a loveless, abusive marriage."

Picture after picture of Michael with one call girl after another were put on the desk. "You think that beating your wife and manipulating her to stay at home while you fuck around would go unnoticed?"

Michael's face showed surprise, then shock and finally rage as the final picture landed on his desk. "Where the fuck did you get these and more importantly, how in the hell do you know Bella?"

Michael's eyes narrowed. "Are you fucking her?"

Edward chuckled darkly and retrieved a pen off the desk. "I'm very good at my job. And as for how I know Isabella, that's none of your concern. Your only concern should be calling off your dogs that you sent to fetch her and signing those divorce papers before these pictures get distributed over every major newspaper and tabloid."

Michael's mouth fell open, his gaze never wavering from Edward's. Silence stretched between the two men as they stared at each other. Edward knew he had the bastard exactly where he wanted him. He would sign, of that he was sure. A man like him cared more about money and maintaining his image than the well-being of others.

"What does the bitch want? She won't get any money from me, that's for damn sure."

Edward had to restrain himself from lunging over the desk and beating that rat bastard to a pulp. "Just her freedom. That's all she wants. Now sign those papers and make the call."

"Fine," Michael growled, snatching the papers from his open safe and quickly scribbled his name on the divorce papers. He dialed a number, putting it on speaker.

"Mr. Newton?" The voice with a thick accent answered. "We haven't found her yet."

"Never mind that, Mr. Volsky. I won't be needing your services after all," Michael hissed, keeping his cold gaze locked with Edward's.

"Mr. Newton?"

"Don't question me. She came home," Michael lied smoothly, disconnecting the call.

Edward couldn't help himself as he let out a sigh of relief as he pocketed the signed papers. He knew if he'd leave them with Newton, they wouldn't get filed properly.

Michael kept his eyes on Edward. "You did fuck her, didn't you?"

Edward didn't answer, merely buttoning his suit jacket.

Michael's head cocked to the side. "Did you like it? Fucking a married woman, knowing she was tied to another man? Did you pull her hair? She likes that."

Edward's hands balled into fists and his jaw clenched. The bastard was goading him, he knew it, but one more vile word about Bella, and Michael would be in a body bag and Edward in cuffs.

Well, as long as Bella was safe.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Newton. I'm glad we could reach an understanding. These papers will be delivered to the former Mrs. Newton as soon as they're filed with the proper authorities."

Edward turned to leave and by the sound of the chair rolling across the floor, he knew Michael was following him. "I could sue you for trespassing," he growled.

At the front door, Edward turned, his gaze leaving no room for arguing. "You won't, because you know I have copies of the discriminating evidence against you and those will be spread across the nation in a heartbeat if you decide to go that route."

Michael Newton stood still as Edward opened the door. Turning once more, Edward smiled. "Oh, before I forget, if you as much set foot near your ex-wife, there will be repercussions."

With a satisfied click, the door closed and Edward breathed a sigh of relief. It had gone much more smoothly than he expected. Shaking his head, he got into the waiting cab, trying to leave the vile things Michael had said about Bella behind.

Now, he only had to find Bella and grovel like a man dying of thirst.

Compared to what had just transpired that would be like walking through hell's fire.

* * *

 **A/N: Bella has finally left. Her heart broken and chattered. Mike signed the divorce papers even though, Edward had to twist his arm. But this is not the end of Mr. Scumbag Newton. No! I have something special planned for him.**

 **It is difficult for me to get into Edward's head. So please let me know what you thought of it.**

 **What do you think he should do to sweeten Bella towards him?**

 **Confession: I truly suck at replying to reviews, bu** **t please know that I read and treasure each one. Your thoughts are so special to me. Thank you for taking the time and letting me know your thoughts. See y'all next week Tuesday.**

 **A massive thanks to twilightsavedme for recommending this story. You, my girl, are so sweet. Thank you so so much.**

 **xoxo**


	10. Pieces of my Heart

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _Piece of my Heart_ _by Faith Hill  
Break another little piece of my heart now baby  
'Cause you know you got it if it makes you feel good, so good  
Each time I tell myself that I can't stand the pain_

Chapter 9

The air flowing from the overhead vent felt cool on Isabella's overheated skin. The constant buzz of the engine and the quiet cry of a child from the rear of the plane kept her from spinning into a frenzied mess. She watched in dismay as the man sitting beside her slowly inched closer. When his head fell to her shoulders, she sighed in resignation.

 _If only I could sleep_.

She watched his eyelashes flutter against his cheeks before turning again to face the window. The shade was half-closed, but she could see the vast blue of the ocean many thousands of feet below. A few clouds were scattered over the sky, but otherwise, the day was filled with sunshine.

Memories of last night swarmed her mind and her breath hitched. Her eyes closed, willing back those fucking tears. Isabella had cried most of the night in the small motel room close to the airport. No flights had departed from Sea-Tac to Honolulu last night, so she had gone to the nearest motel and booked a room while she waited.

She wanted warmth and sunshine.

She wanted her friends and the comfort of home, little as it may be.

Sleep hadn't come until 2 a.m., just three hours before her flight. Whenever she closed her eyes, images of Edward's face had obscured her thoughts, making her heart ache. On the other side, had been fear. Fear that Mike would find her and drag her back.

But he never came.

The man on her shoulder sighed and she looked at him again, wondering what his story was.

Was he going on vacation?

Or was he running, like her?

"Ladies and gentleman, we are beginning our final descent into Honolulu International Airport. Please fasten your seatbelts and put your seat in the upright position. We thank you for flying with Hawaiian Air and hope you've enjoyed your flight."

Isabella inhaled sharply. She didn't really have a plan once she got off this plane, but calling Alice and Lauren wasn't something she wanted to do. She had ignored her friends for the past few months and quite frankly, she wasn't ready to explain to them what happened with Edward.

She nudged her sleeping companion. "Hey," she tried, but he merely grunted. "Hey, we're here."

"What?" He asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes. He smiled when his dark brown eyes met hers. "Hey. Wow, now that's a way to wake up."

If Isabella hadn't been nursing a broken heart, she would have blushed. Now she was wary of any man that approached her. She had now been burned twice.

Instead, she smiled, brushing her hair back into a ponytail. "Finally I got you to wake. Soon, I'd have to start wiping the drool off my shoulders."

It was meant to be teasing, but his horrifying look told her otherwise. "Fuck. I'm so sorry. I tend to nod off once in the air. It's a habit and it makes time fly faster. Pun intended."

She waved her hand. "No worries. I'm quite jealous. I can never sleep on these flights."

"You fly often?" He asked, securing his seatbelt after the flight attendant warned him.

She shook her head. "No, but when I do, I get so queasy during take-off that I can't sleep the entire flight."

The plane landed smoothly and with the hustle and bustle of the passengers, their conversation was halted. At the baggage claim, he caught up with her again.

"Hey. I didn't catch your name."

She shrugged. "You didn't ask."

"All right," he laughed. "May I ask your name, dark-haired beauty?"

This time, Isabella smiled. "Bella."

"Jake," he reached out his hand in greeting. It was warm and big, reminding her of Edward's.

Her smile fell as the pain in her chest flared, the memories of his hands caressing her skin still fresh and raw. Releasing Jake's hand, she cleared her throat and cast her eyes to the baggage carousel, hoping to see her bag.

"It was nice meeting you, Bella. I hope you have an amazing time. Hopefully, I'll run into you again sometime."

Forcing her smile, she turned back to Jake. "Yes, you too."

With a wave, she watched him weave through the throngs of people. His tall frame and black hair made him easy to spot in the crowd.

Isabella was left to her thoughts once more. Jake had been a small distraction from her ever-speculating mind, but she didn't want what had happened with Edward to happen again. She needed time to mend her broken heart and restart her life before she'd consider another man.

The thought alone made her ache for Edward's touch.

In a way, she knew she was being irrational. Edward had been doing a job for her _husband_ and he had succeeded. Mike wanted proof of her adultery and she had fallen right into his trap.

She gritted her teeth in frustration, thinking of Mike's sinister ways. God, she had been a fool.

Even though Edward hadn't sent Mike pictures of them together, she still felt violated and betrayed. If he hadn't done the job, why hadn't he just told her the truth?

Oh God, what if he was married?

Had they both cheated on their spouses?

She had so many questions about who Edward was that it made her head spin with speculations and assumptions. She had no idea who he was, but she reasoned that it was okay. She didn't want to know him anyway.

Shaking her head, she went to the car rental. She knew she'd have to find a reasonable car soon in order to get around. Rentals were cheap, but she wanted her own.

Once inside the car, she pushed the key into the ignition and then stopped.

Where would she go?

Isabella leaned her head against the headrest and closed her eyes. It had been a screwed up plan from the start. She had no fucking clue what her life entailed now that she was alone again. There was no fucking plan set out for her. No certain way she should dress or behave.

She truly was free.

A sob escaped her and she covered her mouth with her hand. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but in the rear-view mirror, she saw herself smiling.

"I'm free," she hiccupped, her watery smile reflecting in the mirror.

An idea formed in her head and her smile fell slightly. She had to break the news to her mother if she wanted her to agree to let her stay at their vacant house.

With a sigh, Isabella retrieved her phone from her purse, pushing the power button. It flickered to life and over a dozen missed calls flashed across the screen with about half as many voicemails.

Missed calls from Alice and from Lauren. Then a few from a number she didn't recognize, but to her surprise, there were none from Mike.

 _That's odd_.

Last time she was away from him, she had almost a dozen missed calls from him daily. He had to be furious with her for leaving.

Dismissing all calls, she pulled up her mother's number and dialed it with an unsteady breath. Isabella had no idea if she'd answer. She didn't even know where they were.

The pulse of her heartbeat was loud in her ear and by the third ring, she was ready to hang up when her mother's voice came on the line.

"Hello?"

Isabella closed her eyes, willing her heart to calm the fuck down. "Hey, Mom."

Timid, shy and fucking nervous.

"Bella. Hi. How are you?"

Isabella smiled. "I'm doing fine. Where are you?"

She heard Phil's voice in the background asking who it was. Renee shushed him. "We're in Jacksonville, Florida."

"Wow, still traveling, I see." She paused, swallowing hard. "Are you enjoying it?"

This small talk was ridiculous.

"Yes, but I think we're about ready to settle down again."

"Does that mean you're coming home?"

"Bella, what's going on? You sound…different," Renee hedged.

Here goes nothing. "I…" Another swallow, "I left Mike. We're getting a divorce."

Silence.

Awkward fucking silence.

"Oh honey, what happened?"

Isabella pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's a long story. I'll tell you all about it one day, okay?"

"Okay," Renee answered slowly.

More silence followed. Isabella wanted to ask about borrowing their house when Renee piped up again.

"You didn't sign a prenup, did you?"

And there it was. Renee was all fine with the divorce as long as it had a big payout **.**

"No, Mom. I didn't. Not that it matters anyway. Listen…" she started, anxiousto get off the phone as soon as possible.

"What do you mean _it doesn't matter_? Of course, it matters. You deserve something for all those years you spent with him," Renee's voice rose.

"Mom, please. It doesn't matter. Listen, I have a favor to ask," Isabella urged, hoping she'd drop it.

"Anything."

"Can I use the house while you're away?"

"Of course," Renee said. "As long as you need it, it's yours. You still know where the spare key is, right?"

Isabella nodded, relieved. "Yes, but it will only be temporary, I promise. Until I find my own place."

She started the car and headed to the house she had called home during her teenage years. It still looked the same. Off-white with pale blue shutters. Trees and hedges acted as the perimeter of the lot and opened up to the small beach at the back of the house.

Furniture was covered with white cloths; dust covered the mantel and every visible surface. Discarding her luggage in her bedroom, she went about cleaning and dusting the entire house.

 _Anything to distract myself._

Around nine in the evening, she stood from scrubbing the bathroom floor and wiped at the sweat on her brow. The entire day, she'd had music blaring to keep her treacherous thoughts about Edward and this fucked-up situation at bay. But now, at night, she had turned down the volume so she wouldn't disturb the neighbors.

In the shower, the tears fell again as she remembered Edward's gentle touch and urgent plea for her to listen to him. Soon, the tears were replaced with anger.

She was angry with herself.

Angry at Mike, Edward, and most importantly, she was angry at her heart for still yearning for him.

Wiping the steam from the mirror, she took in her reflection. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her mouth set in a hard line and her chin was raised in defiance. She would not let these thoughts and longing keep her down. She had overcome Mike's abuse and she would move on from Edward.

 _I have to._

As she settled in for the night, she checked the missed calls on her phone again. A few more from Alice and Lauren. She dialed her voice mail, tears threatening once more at Alice's concerned voice.

"Bella, please call me back. I'm… we're so worried about you."

"Bells, it's Lauren. Please give me a call when you can. I need to know you're okay."

The next voicemail had her sitting up straight in her bed. "Bella? It's… Edward. Bella, I…"

Her hand shook so hard and her vision was blurry with tears. Dammit, she had promised herself she wouldn't let him get to her.

The phone clattered to the floor with a thud and Edward's faint voice could still be heard as she curled into a ball, sobbing into her pillow. Voicemail after voicemail played from the phone on the floor. They were from Alice, Lauren and another one from her mother.

Why couldn't she just let it go? She had brought this on herself after all. Blaming Edward was futile. She had let him into her bed and into her body, and she had no one to blame but herself.

Then why was it so easy to blame him instead?

-T-T-T-

Isabella's head was pounding the next morning. After a quick shower, she went downstairs to get the coffee started when a sharp knock sounded at the door. Fear washed down her spine and she froze.

 _Don't let it be Mike._

 _Don't let it be Mike_ , she chanted, slowly making her way to the door.

Opening it a smidge, she came face to face with Alice and Lauren. Both weren't exactly wearing smiles.

"I see you're not dead," Alice said, raising her eyebrows.

"Coffee?" Isabella asked shyly, opening the door wider, letting her friends inside.

Alice was the first to hug her tight, followed quickly by Lauren.

"You had us worried," Lauren said, her eyes brimming with tears. "What happened?"

"It's over," Isabella reassured both of her friends, smiling. "I'm done. I couldn't do it anymore."

"Oh thank you, God," Lauren cheered, raising her hands to the heavens.

Alice took a sip of her coffee as the three of them settled around the table. "What about Edward?"

"Edward?" Lauren asked with raised eyebrows. "Is that… is he?"

Isabella nodded and smiled at Lauren, eyeing Alice. "What about him?"

"Are you going to talk to him?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Isabella said calmly, taking a much-needed sip of her coffee.

"Why not?" Alice asked.

Isabella rubbed her temple, casting a glance at Alice. "Because of his involvement."

Alice's eyebrows scrunched together. "Involvement?"

"What's going on, Bella?" Lauren asked, worry in her voice.

Running up the stairs, Isabella got the documents she had copied from Mike's computer. She placed the photographs on the table and lastly the email from Edward to Mike.

She watched Alice's mouth move as she read the words, her eyes widening at the end. "This was sent from Jasper's office."

Isabella nodded. "Did he know?"

Grabbing her purse and the paper containing the email, Alice left her two friends. She drove across town to Jasper's office, praying it wasn't true. Why wouldn't he have told her? Could he have stopped Edward?

His assistant, Heidi, greeted her. "Good morning, Ms. Brandon."

With a curt nod, she strode into Jasper's office. He was seated behind his desk, his brows furrowed as he read something on the screen.

"Mase, can you…" His eyes shot up in surprise as Alice cleared her throat. "Ali, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" She huffed. "What's wrong, you ask?"

She waved the paper in front of his eyes. "Tell me you didn't know. Tell me that you didn't know that it was Bella."

Jasper's eyes flew over the email before placing it on the desk. "Ali…" he started.

"Oh my God."

He started for her, but she backed away, shaking her head. "Why didn't you say anything? She's my friend."

"It wasn't my place. You know I can't divulge most of my work with you."

She scoffed. "Like hell you couldn't!"

"Ali, please," he pleaded, reaching out for her hand.

She yanked it from his and wiped at her eyes. "I need some time," she whispered, making her way to the door.

"What does that mean?"

She turned to face him, trying to keep her tears at bay. "It means that I need to think about how you fit into my world. What you did… to Bella, it hurts. I need to know that I can trust you before I commit to you."

The door fell closed with a thud and Alice hastily walked to the elevator. She wanted to get back to Bella.

The doors to the elevator opened and Edward stepped out. Seeing her red eyes, he asked in concern, "Alice?"

Her glare stopped him short. "You!" She pointed an accusatory finger at him. "I don't know why I felt sorry for you. Why did you do it?"

Edward's eyes cast downward in shame. "It's not like that."

"Then what is it? Because none of this makes sense to me," she hissed.

His remorseful gaze met hers, pleading for her to understand. For a fleeting moment, she felt sympathy for him; for the situation he was in. He deserved to be happy, but this wasn't what Alice wanted for both Bella and Edward.

The doors slid closed without his answer.

On the drive back to Bella's, Alice wiped away her tears time and time again. She loved Jasper with all her heart. They had been together for some time now, but this… this hurt so bad. Why couldn't he have told her the truth?

Isabella and Lauren met a crying Alice as she opened the door. She clung to her two friends, letting her tears fall.

"What happened?" Lauren asked timidly as Alice's hiccups seized.

Taking the offered tissue from Isabella, Alice sniffed. "He knew all along. He knew!"

Isabella wiped at her own tears, hating to see her friend broken. "What about your engagement?"

Alice sniffed again and balled the tissue in her hand. "I'm not sure about that either," she said, sliding the ring from her finger with trembling hands.

"I'm not sure about anything right now where Jasper is concerned."

* * *

 **A/N: Now Jasper and Alice's relationship is on being _tilted_. What are your thoughts on that?  
**

 **A BIG massive thank you goes to _twilightsavedme_ and _Lost in Fanfiction_ for reccing this story of mine in their stories. Check them out if you get the chance.**

 **Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I hardly find time to reply to reviews, but please know that I appreciate each one that you give me. They make me smile.**

 **Next Tuesday, Edward appears again. What will he have to say?**


	11. Don't let her be gone

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _Don't let her be gone_ _by Gord Bamford  
I might have done it this time  
I might have crossed that line  
I said some things  
She said some things  
That we can't take back_

Chapter 10

"Alice," Isabella started, the idea of her friend giving up on such a long relationship caused her worry. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Alice sniffed, grabbing another tissue and wiping her nose. "I don't know. I really don't know what I want to do. All I know is that he hurt me by hurting you."

Lauren took her hand and squeezed. "Did he say why he didn't tell you? Why did he keep it a secret?"

Scoffing, Alice ripped the tissue apart. "He said that he couldn't tell me about his work." Standing from her chair, she started to pace. "Like hell, he can't! Especially when it concerns one of my best friends," she screeched, pointing at Isabella.

Refilling each of their cups, Lauren urged Alice to once again, take her seat. "I agree with you on that. He should have told you as soon as he found out. That wasn't right on his part."

Alice nodded frantically, shoveling heaps of sugar into her coffee. "Yes. So, why didn't he?"

Her face fell again and she looked over to Isabella, giving her a sad smile. "I'm sorry. This is hard enough for you and now I'm bringing my problems in here, too."

Smiling reassuringly, Isabella shook her head. "No. Don't. I should be the one who's sorry. I dragged you all in with me. My fucked up marriage and _husband_ ," she laughed humorlessly, briefly thinking of Mike and his fucking paranoia.

"Speaking of which," Lauren turned to Isabella. "Do you know if he'll sign the papers now or did he say anything?"

Isabella sighed, thinking of the previous day and how she left in a hurry. "I don't know," she started, curling her hands around the mug. "I left after Edward told me about the pictures and didn't wait around to see what Mike would do or say."

"Wait! What?" Lauren asked with wide eyes. "Edward was there? In Seattle?"

Isabella nodded. "Yeah, Mike's mother…," she started, rubbing her temple.

"Wait," Alice interrupted, causing both friends to look at her curiously. "Before you start, I have a confession to make."

Isabella nodded slowly. "What is it?"

Alice bit her lip, her hands trembling around her coffee mug. "I kind of, sort of, urged Edward to go to Seattle." She cringed away, awaiting her friend's wrath.

Isabella's heart stuttered in her chest. "What?"

"It's not what you think. I didn't know what he had done. Honest," she rambled, the words gushing out of her mouth. "I saw the two of you hit it off at the luau and then he spent the night in your hotel room. After you left, he was depressed, so I connected the dots. I asked him about it and he didn't deny what had happened or his feeling."

Silence engulfed the room.

Alice fiddled with her nails, nervous and anxious for Isabella's reaction.

Lauren looked between the two of them; waiting and watching.

Isabella blinked, absorbing the new information. "Why would you ask him to come to Seattle?"

She knew her friends had been worried and she felt guilty, having cut off contact with them for a few months. She had her reasons and maybe, just maybe her friends would understand as to why she did it.

Alice huffed, rolling her eyes. "Because you weren't answering our calls and we were worried nearly to death with the possibilities of what Mike could do to you. If someone could reach you, I knew it would be him," she trailed off, her gaze moving to the table. "Well, at least so I thought. Instead, he made it worse," she murmured into her coffee.

Isabella took her mug to the sink, rinsing it out and putting it in the dish rack. Her eyes strayed outside. The sun was bright, bathing the entire neighborhood in light, not a cloud in sight and she heard the rushing of the ocean. If her friends hadn't shown, she would have taken a dip in the blue water before beginning her day. But it seemed like, there was no rest for the weary.

"In a way, he did make it worse, but he pushed me to finally break loose from the chains Mike had me in." She turned to Lauren and Alice. "I guess, I should thank him for that," she said wistfully.

The three of them exchanged glances, feeling the pain Isabella was experiencing. She had survived it, though. Most of her physical bruises had healed, but the emotional and mental scars Mike had inflicted would take more time.

Not to mention, Edward's imprint on her heart.

Could she face him again, knowing what she now knew?

God, her heart ached thinking about it.

She looked out the back doors to the blue water. "I'm done with all this heavy talk. What about going for a swim?"

"Hell yeah," Alice piped up, quickly depositing her mug in the sink and sprinting out the back door.

Lauren rose slower, draining the last of her coffee. Isabella knew she had more to say and she waited patiently while Lauren gathered her thoughts.

"I can't stay for the swim; I have to pick up the boys from daycare."

Isabella nodded, knowing she wasn't finished.

"Alice needs to talk to Jasper. I know what he did wasn't right, but it wasn't like what Edward did to you. Their relationship is strong and has been through a lot more than this. She can't just throw it away. Especially not now. They're engaged."

Isabella watched Alice remove her clothes through the window, leaving her in only her pink boy shorts and black bra.

"Maybe, but it's her choice," Isabella said slowly. "And I think she will miss him after a few days without him."

Lauren laughed. "I hope so, and knowing Jasper the way I do, he won't rest until she's back in his arms. He loves her too damn much."

With a fierce hug and promise to get together soon, Isabella bid Lauren goodbye and joined Alice in the ocean. The two friends laughed and played in the water until Isabella's stomach started to growl.

She slung her arm around Alice as they made their way back to the house. "Thanks for this," Isabella motioned to the water behind them. "I needed to relax."

Alice nodded and gripped Isabella's waist, wiping water from her chin. They had forgotten to bring towels. "Yeah, me too." She bit her lip. "Would it be okay if I stayed with you for a couple of nights? I had moved in with Jasper about a month ago, but I'm not sure I can go back there now. At least, not yet."

"Sure. I would love the company," Isabella encouraged, heading into the house and handing a towel to Alice.

-T-T-T-

Jasper had been persistent, but Alice was standing strong, not answering his calls and deleting his voicemails. Isabella saw the look of longing and sadness that passed over Alice's features every time the phone chimed with Jasper's call or message.

She missed him.

On the third day, Isabella gathered enough courage to talk to her friend about it. They were lounging on the sofa, a bowl of popcorn between them, and _A Walk to Remember_ was playing on the flat screen; Alice's favorite movie.

"Kick his ass," she screamed, shaking her buttered finger at the screen.

Isabella bit her lip. "Ali?"

"Hmm?" Alice answered absentmindedly, her eyes on the screen.

"How long …" she sighed, gathering more courage. "How long are you going to ignore Jasper?"

Her handful of popcorn paused halfway to her mouth, her head swiveling to meet Isabella's watchful eyes. "You want me to leave?"

"What?" Isabella asked incredulously. She shook her head, "No. No. That's not it. It's just … well …"

Fuck, how could she broach this subject without sounding like a horrible friend? Without sounding condescending?

"Well, what?" Alice asked, pressing pause on the remote. Shane West froze on the screen, his cocky smirk in place.

Swallowing nervously, Isabella tried again. "I see the way you look at your phone when he calls. You miss him. So, why don't you just go talk to him?"

Alice placed the bowl on the coffee table and faced Isabella, sitting cross-legged on the couch. "And ignore what he did?"

"No," Isabella shook her head. "That's not…" She sighed. "I'm just saying talk to him. Listen to him. Don't you think he deserves that?"

God, she sounded so hypocritical.

She reassured herself that what she had with Edward was just a fling. She was the one who had become emotionally attached. Now she had to suffer the consequences.

She owed him nothing.

He owed her no explanation.

He had done his job.

Her breath shuttered thinking about the man that had the potential to own her heart more than Mike ever had. She sure had a way of picking the man she let into her life.

Alice licked at the butter on her fingers, her gaze far away, mulling over what Isabella had said. Wiping her hand on the napkin, she turned to Isabella, her eyes sad. "I do miss him."

She swallowed heavily. "How can I look past this? Tell me, Bella. He knew and still let Edward do that to you. How can I trust him?"

Heavy tears streamed down her cheeks and she wiped them away angrily. Isabella wiped at her own tears and drew Alice close to her, her spiky hair tickling her cheek.

"Maybe he did tell Edward. Maybe he wanted to tell you but figured it was all over now. That it was the past."

Isabella drew back and brushed the tears from Alice's cheeks. "Edward made his bed and he has to lie in it, just like I do. Don't let my fucked up situation stop you from being happy."

Alice sniffed, wiping at her nose. "You're making excuses for him."

Isabella nodded, smiling softly. "I am, but maybe it will get you to talk to him. You are engaged to that man, for Pete's sake! That has to count for something."

Giggling, Alice brushed her hands down her pajama-clad thighs. "I am engaged, aren't I?" She smiled down at her ring. "God, this all feels so surreal. A month ago, I was over the moon with wedding planning and now I am ready to throw it away? What's that say about me? What if we had been married, would I have been willing to throw it away just as quickly? God, what must Jasper think of me? I would make a horrible wife at this rate. Throw in the towel when things get a little sticky." She shuddered at the thought.

"I have to talk to him." Alice declared, rising to her feet. She swayed and sat back down. "Whoa, head rush."

Isabella laughed, knowing that Alice and Jasper would be okay. The following morning, Alice gathered enough courage to call Jasper and set up a time to meet.

At least, Alice hadn't brought up Edward again, leaving Isabella to figure it out on her own.

-T-T-T-

A few days later, Isabella was ready to get her own car. That was today's journey. She had enough money in her savings for a car that is reasonably priced. She smiled at the thought of having something permanent. Next on her list was looking for ajob and then her own place.

Preferably before the New Year.

Locking the door to the house, she turned and gasped. "Edward."

He looked worn; dark circles under his eyes, his hair in disarray, looking as if he had run his hands through it a million times in frustration. He froze, his eyes locked on hers. Her heart hammered in her chest as she tried to stop her mind from thinking about those few days spent with him.

He had taken her by surprise.

Mere seconds had passed before she gathered her wits. "What are you doing here?"

She tried to sound civil, but her tone had a bite to it.

He flinched, hearing the distaste.

 _Good,_ she thought, standing up a little straighter.

"I… I needed to talk to you." His voice was raspy as if he was just overcoming the flu or hadn't slept in days.

"How did you find me?" She asked, rather than acknowledging his request.

His smile was small; timid. "Your mother's address is on file. Jasper installed the security system in this house just over a year ago."

Her eyes narrowed. "Great. Now you can remove it from your file and remove yourself from this property while you're at it. I have nothing to say to you."

She stepped around him, but his hand shot out and gently took her arm. "Bella, please."

The touch of his skin on hers was overwhelming, sending warmth through her veins and resurrecting those damn memories of him looming over her. His body moving in hers. His soft lips and those tender touches she craved when her nights got lonely.

"Edward, please. You need to leave. There's nothing to talk about. You did your job. Let's just forget about it, okay?" Her voice was small and she hated her own words as they spewed from her lips.

"Okay," he whispered close to her ear. "I will leave, but I will not forget about it. I did you wrong and I want … need to make it right," he whispered with determination, his eyes fierce.

Edward released her and stepped back, his gaze pleading with hers once more before he turned and walked down the small paved driveway to his car, his hands shoved into his pockets. His shoulders slumped forward and he looked defeated, broken.

Isabella bit her lip to stop it from trembling. The urge to call after him was strong. If only she could rewind the past few months and have left Mike. She would have been a free woman when she had met Edward and they could have a happy life now.

She shook her head. _Thinking about the_ _what-ifs_ _won't change a damn fucking thing._

Watching him drive away from her in her rear-view mirror, she braced herself on the steering wheel, willing herself not to cry … again.

Her conversation with Alice flitted through her mind. Hadn't she urged Alice to talk to Jasper? Why couldn't she do the same when it came to Edward?

Maybe she should listen to him. Maybe it would give her closure.

At a red light, she shook her head, the devastated look on his face as he walked down the driveway made her chest ache.

-T-T-T-

Pulling into the used car lot, she killed the engine and took a few deep breaths. Seeing Edward again had thrown her. Today was supposed to be a good day; a happy day. She hated the fact that he dredged up so many memories and reminders of what she tried to leave behind.

With her chin raised up high and her smile firmly in place, she waltzed into the showroom, ready to make her first independent purchase. In their marriage, Mike always had done the big item purchases, deciding where the money was spent. He had bought her the BMW in their second year of marriage and the horse that had never been ridden in his stable. She loved horses; the powerful and majestic look of them but was deathly afraid of riding one.

"Hello. Welcome to Harry's Car Sales. My name is Jared. Can I help you find anything?"

Jared was a tall, somewhat chubby man. He was dark-skinned with jet-black hair slicked back with just a little, too much gel. He reminded Isabella of Ross from the TV show _Friends._

"Hi," she took his hand and shook it. "I am looking to buy that Honda Civic." She pointed out the window to the red car, having done research the previous night.

"Excellent choice," he crooned, walking towards the doors. "Would you like to take it for a test drive? See how it handles?"

She hadn't thought of that. "Sure," she answered somewhat hesitantly.

They drove through the city while Jared explained all the necessary details about the vehicle. Truthfully, Isabella didn't know half of the things he was mentioning, but she liked the car.

Once back at the car lot, Jared smiled at her. "So, what do you think?"

She smiled back ecstatically. "I think I love it. I'll take it."

"Great," He clapped his hands together. "Let me grab my mechanic and he can give it a once over before you sign the papers."

Isabella was looking through the papers when she heard a familiar voice. "Bella?"

Whirling around, she came face to face with a grease-covered Jake. "Jake. Hey. Wow. You're here."

His big toothy grin caused her to smile in return. "Yeah. Yeah, I am. How are you?"

"I'm doing well," she answered. "You moved here?"

He nodded slightly, letting his eyes roam over her body. "I did. For now."

"You two know each other?" Jared asked, pointing between the pair and they nodded. "Small world," he mused.

"Bella and I met on the plane just a few weeks ago. She let me borrow her shoulder," Jake answered.

"For crying?" Jared asked teasingly.

Jake flung his grease rag at Jared, who dodged it skillfully, laughing. "I was sleeping," Jake defended himself.

Isabella laughed, loving the easy banter. "He really was sleeping," she said, defending Jake.

Jared smiled at her. "I believe you. This lug would sleep all day if I'd let him."

Jake scowled while Jared and Isabella laughed.

She was just about to leave when Jake came running out of the shop. "Bella. Wait!"

"Jake. Hey. What's up?"

He smiled brightly and leaned on the hood of _her_ car. "What are you doing later?"

Was she giving off some kind of a vibe?

 _Do I have 'Single Woman' written on my forehead?_

"Probably browsing through the classifieds. Why?"

His thick brows furrowed. "Are you looking for a job?"

"No, I read those just for fun," she teased, laughing when he groaned. "Yes, I'm looking for a job."

"There's this accounting firm that's looking for a new accountant. Harry is a client of theirs and Jared's sister works in that office. Maybe he can talk to her." He paused, his hand gripping his grease rag, "Oh shit, unless that's not something that interests you."

Isabella's interest piqued. "That would be great. I have a degree in business so this would be right up my alley. Does his sister do the hiring?"

He looked at her quizzically. "I don't know, but I can ask him."

Jake was about to walk back inside to ask for the info when Jared walked through the doors, his phone to his ear.

"Hey J., is Angela in charge of hiring at Uley's Accounting? Bella is looking for a job."

Isabella's smile fell and her eyes widened.

 _Angela?_

* * *

 **A/N: So... Edward showed up. He is making an effort, but... is he doing enough?  
**

 **Alice agreed to talk to Jasper and that conversation is next. What will be Jasper's explanation?**

 **Bella just can't seem to catch a break. Will it ever get easier for her? Will she listen to Edward? Should she, since Jasper and Alice are talking?**

 **I'd love to hear yours thoughts, ladies. Thank you in advance.**

 **A big thank you to the special ladies who have recc'd this story over Facebook, in their own stories and blogs. You are amazing. Thank you so much. I am honored. 3 3**

 **As you already know, I'm very horrible at replying to reviews and I apologize. RL has been on the fast track the past few weeks and it probably won't slow down until after the New Year's. If I get time to write, I'm a happy woman. So please, don't feel discouraged if I don't reply to your lovely reviews. I read and cherish each and every one of them. Thank you so much, dear readers. You and your words are very special to me.  
**

 **See you next Tuesday... xoxo**


	12. Still

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _Still by Jason McCoy  
Still, after all of this time,_  
 _one look at you stops this whole world of mine._  
 _Still, just the thought of your kiss,_  
 _I close my eyes I can taste your sweet lips._  
 _You get me, you always have always will_

Chapter 11

The elevator doors opened with a ding and rays of sunlight spilled into the small cube. Alice shielded her eyes, asking herself for the thousandth time why they couldn't have snow in Hawaii. She loved snow, but she hated the cold.

Heidi greeted her cheerfully again. "Ms. Brandon. Mr. Whitlock informed me that you were coming. He said to go right into his office."

"Thanks, Heidi," Alice smiled, walking with heavy steps towards the big oak door that led into Jasper's office. She had agreed to this, but her heart was heavy.

She loved Jasper but disliked him for what he had done to Isabella.

The door opened before she had a chance to knock. "Ali," Jasper halted a foot in front of her. "You came?"

Alice's brow furrowed. "I said I would, didn't I?"

Much like Edward, Jasper ran his hand through his hair when he was nervous. It was endearing. "Yeah." He motioned for her to enter, "Come in."

This felt way too formal for the couple who had been living together for a few months now. It felt wrong.

Awkward.

Alice fiddled with the strap of her purse, looking just past Jasper out to the bright, sun-filled day. "So, how are you?"

Jasper cleared his throat and ran a hand over his tie. "Good. Bored." He paused and waited until she met his eyes, "Lonely."

She swallowed and nodded, the feeling mutual. She had missed him much more than she had anticipated. Now, as she sat facing him, all she wanted was to wrap herself around him and never let go. Her eyes stung with tears but blinked them away.

"Tell me," she started her voice hoarse. Clearing her throat, she tried again. "Tell me what happened. From the beginning."

Jasper stood and poured each of them a glass of water. She thanked him quietly, taking a small sip. He took his seat again and gulped down half the contents of the glass.

"Ali, you need to know that most of my work is confidential. I can't divulge any major information."

Alice sighed, feeling defeated. "Okay, if that's the case, maybe I shouldn't have come."

She got to her feet, ready to leave. Jasper's hand on her arm stopped her. With hope, she met his eyes.

"She is your friend, and therefore, I will tell you about it, but…" He stopped his eyes stern. "If this gets out, Mr. Newton has every right to sue me, you know."

She scoffed. "Mr. Newton. Why do you keep calling him that? He's a fucking scumbag for what he did to Bella."

Jasper guided her back to the chair, a small smile on his lips. Originally, Jasper hadn't known the man, so he made no assumptions. That was before. Now that he knew a little more about the fucked-up situation, it made him doubt every other 'spouse' that came into his office asking for dirt on their significant other.

He scrubbed his hand over his jaw, hiding his smile. "Okay, how about Mike?"

When Alice nodded, he continued. "I received an email from _Mike_ asking about my services, and if I also handled private affairs. I didn't answer, forwarding the email to Edward. He said he'd take it; that it gave him something to do while I occupied my time with our engagement. I only asked for updates a few times and his response was always the same. _It's going fine_."

Jasper sighed, wishing he had paid better attention to his friend. "I didn't know it would spin out of control, Ali."

Alice swallowed, this whole mess sitting heavily in the pit of her stomach. "And to think, I tried to set those two up on a date." She shook her head, "Remind me never to do that again."

He chuckled; glad she wasn't cutting off his junk with rusty scissors. She was a spitfire and he loved that about her. A life with her would never be without adventures.

She gasped and her wide eyes met his. "At the luau. Did you know it was her?"

Jasper shook his head. " At first, I didn't, but then I put the pieces together and when he didn't go home, I went searching in his office and found her file on his desk; the pictures, everything…"

"Did you at least talk to him?" Alice interrupted him.

Taking her hand in his, he squeezed her fingers gently. "I tried calling, but he never answered. I did send him a text message, though."

"And?"

"He never replied. The day she left, I found him moping at his computer staring at pictures of her. I asked him if he had at least told her the truth." Jasper scrubbed a hand down his face, meeting Alice's shimmering eyes. "He never did tell her."

"Fucking asshole," Alice muttered, cracking a small smile.

"I think he knows that, too," Jasper smiled; glad he was able to tell her everything.

"But," she stopped again. "That doesn't answer why you never told me."

"Honestly?" He asked, knowing she'd nod. "I guess I was afraid."

"Afraid of what?" The crease between her brows made his fingers twitch. He wanted so badly to see her smile rather than frown.

"Afraid of this. You hating me. I figured Edward would yank his head out of his ass and forget about her, and she, in turn, would forget about him."

"I wish you would have talked to me," Alice whispered, the lump in her throat intensifying. "We could have avoided all this nonsense."

Jasper's heart thundered in his chest. The hurt on Alice's face. It was his fault. "I'm so sorry, Ali. I have no better excuse for keeping it from you." He took her hand, "And I promise never to do that again."

Her eyes lifted, brimming with tears. "You mean that?" She had already forgiven him, but also knew she wouldn't be able to handle another fiasco like this in the future.

He kissed her engagement ring and then the back of her hand, his gaze vulnerable. "I mean it with all my heart; the heart that belongs to you, my sweet princess."

With a sob, she fell into his waiting arms, his lips at her ear, making her many more promises. Her sobs turned into whimpers and soon their lips joined.

-T-T-T-

Edward stood by the window overlooking the city, the delicate necklace between his fingers. That night in Seattle played on constant repeat in his mind, and each time he wondered what he could have done differently.

The truth was if he had wanted something to change, he should have told her everything after that first night. God, the vulnerable look on her face still pierced his heart with agony.

He looked around his office, the frown on his face deepening. How he could consider his work satisfying after this was beyond him. Agreeing to work with Jasper had been a means to an end. It gave him something to do while he mended his broken heart. But the fact that he had done the exact thing he vowed never to do caused nausea to rise in his throat.

Edward gripped his hair, listening intently to the couple in the next room. Alice's loud voice had simmered and all he heard now were murmurs. He was happy that his friends repaired their relationship, but it only caused him to long for Isabella. He wanted what Alice and Jasper had. He had wanted _that_ for quite some time already.

Kate had been the one. Edward had been so ecstatic to meet someone like her, beautiful, smart and witty. That was until his friends from the precinct told him that she wasn't the faithful type. One thing led to another and the next thing he knew, he was on this island agreeing to work with Jasper and collecting the pieces ofhis heart.

Until Isabella showed up and soothed a balm over the scars and made him whole again. He knew she wasn't available, but that didn't stop him. Edward followed his heart until he got what it craved.

Isabella's love.

His eyes shut as her words from their last night together spiraled through his mind. Her face, her voice and those beautiful eyes occupied his thoughts more frequently then he liked.

" _If only this was a fairy-tale, I'd tell you that I love you."_

Edward's heart seared and his eyes stung. "I'm so sorry, Bella," he whimpered against the glass, his warm breath fogging the chilled window.

A light tap on his door snapped him out his regrets. "Come in." He cleared his throat, not wanting Alice and Jasper to see him in this weakened state.

Alice's red-rimmed eyes met his first and then Jasper, a small smile on his lips and his hands protectively wrapped around Alice's shoulders.

"Hey, guys. How's it going?" Edward asked, trying to sound aloof.

With a hiccup, Alice rounded the corner and wrapped her arms around his middle, squeezing him as hard she could. Edward tried to meet Jasper's eyes, but his friend was looking out the window, giving them a moment of privacy.

Ignoring the pang of guilt in his chest, Edward returned her hug, kissing the top of her head. "Ali, you okay?"

Stepping back, she brushed at her tears. "I will be once you and Bella figure things out."

Edward sighed. Of course, Alice would try to get the ball rolling. "Alice, it's not that simple."

"I know it's not," she frowned. "What you did was wrong and what Mike did was incomprehensible. I wish I could cut off his nuts with rusty shears for that, but the fact of the matter is that you love her and no matter how much she tries to deny it, she loves your sorry ass, too."

He clenched his fists at the mention of Mike. He had manipulated Bella ten ways from Sunday and she had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. It made sense, though. He was controlling, abusive and exuded power. She was scared of him, like most abused victims.

Edward slumped in his seat; the drawer containing Bella's signed divorce papers in his sight. He needed another opportunity to talk to her. He needed to explain what happened. She needed to know that she was free of Mike's clutches and that he couldn't hurt her anymore.

"I don't think she loves me. Not now," he muttered, watching Jasper reorganize the files on his desk. Edward usually was meticulous when it came to order, but with is personal life so fucked up, he figured, his workplace should be in the same.

Alice shook her head and took a seat on the armrest of the chair Jasper was occupying. "Fine, feel sorry for yourself, but you need to man up and talk to her…"

His head shot up, his eyes fierce. "What's the point? I fucked up and it's only right for me to have to suffer."

"Don't you think she suffers?" Alice shot back. "She hates the fact that you were the one sent by Mike to spy on her, but I know, deep down she will forgive you before she ever thinks about forgiving Mike. She loves you."

Edward stared at her. Could she be right? Is there still hope?

"I wouldn't forgive me if I was her. I could have come clean. I had multiple chances to tell her the truth, but I never did. That makes me no better than Mike."

Alice threw her hands up. "Fine, wallow. Sooner or later, you will have to talk to her. Most of your friends are also her friends. It's inevitable."

After a moment, Jasper broke the silence. "Now, what's done is done. You can either man up and do something about it or wallow in self-pity all your life. What happened with Kate sucked, but this is different. Now, both of you are broken and maybe, just maybe, what I s needed to fix it is each other."

He helped Alice to her feet. "We have a meeting with Tyler down at the port. He wants us to install security cameras. A number of thefts have been happening in the area. Can you handle that?"

Edward swallowed. "Yes, I'll meet you downstairs in a few minutes."

The door clicked shut, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Would it be possible to rekindle the relationship with Bella? Could they have their happily ever after that he longed for so much?

Opening the drawer, he placed the necklace on the divorce papers. They both belonged to Bella and he couldn't wait for the day he could deliver them to her. Would she smile or would she be angry?

Closing the drawer quickly, he forced his thoughts about Bella to the back of his mind. Right now, he had to concentrate on doing his job. Jasper would probably fire him if he didn't man up and focus.

-T-T-T-

With bags of equipment slung over their shoulders, the duo met Tyler a half hour later. The water lapped at the docks, unsteady and dark. A storm was brewing somewhere off the coast and quite possibly heading this way.

"Hey guys," he greeted. "I'm glad you could make it. Come this way."

Tyler led the men to his office, pointing out various spots where he'd like the security cameras installed. At each spot, Edward took a few pictures for him and Jasper to study later. They would need to find the proper place for the cameras to have the best viewpoint.

While Jasper was giving Tyler the rundown of costs such as equipment and labour, Edward was surveying the area and taking a few pictures.

"I think we're all done here," he heard Jasper approach.

"Thank you so much. This sure will keep my mind at ease." Tyler shook their hands, lingering on Edward. "What are you doing Christmas Eve?"

Edward frowned. With his mind on Bella, he hadn't thought about this holiday. He knew his parents were traveling around Europe. "Probably catching up on some missed work. Why?"

Tyler smiled. "I would like to invite you to spend Christmas with us. Jasper has agreed already and it would be great if you could join us."

He mulled over the idea. If Jasper and Alice were going, did that mean that Bella would be there too?

"Sure," he nodded. "Count me in."

With an enthusiastic handshake, Jasper and Edward headed back to the car. On the ride back to the office, Edward could feel Jasper's eyes on him.

"What?" He finally asked. He felt like squirming in his seat.

"I know what you're up to and I hope you've thought this through. That girl has been through enough."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I know what I'm doing."

Jasper sighed. "I hope so, because if you hurt her anymore, I will not stop Alice this time."

Edward nodded, knowing Alice would castrate him if she knew of his plans, but he had to try something. He couldn't go on this way. He needed to tell Bella his story.

In the back of his mind, he knew this was a bad idea, but the plan had been set in motion.

Maybe Bella could be his again.

* * *

 **A/N: T** **hanks for reading...xoxo**


	13. All for Love

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _All for Love_ _by Lady Antebellum  
Love, something you know nothing of  
Cause love don't turn and run  
And leave you standing in the dark  
You tell me that your feelings changed  
And you don't wanna stay and break my heart  
Well baby it's too late_

Chapter 12

"I have to tell you something," Lauren started her eyes on the ribbon she was tying. "Tyler invited Edward to our Christmas party."

Isabella's head snapped up. "What?"

Lauren pushed the present for Tyler under the tree. "Yeah, he told me this morning."

Isabella's mind raced with a million scenarios on how that would go. Edward and her in the same place.

Being civil.

How the fuck would that work?

She had tried to reason away the anger she felt towards him the past week, focusing on why he had done it and that he had told her the truth. Mind you, a little late for her taste, but he had confessed.

And still the anger simmered beneath her skin.

The question that nagged her constantly was why he hadn't told her during their time together? She remembered the words he had uttered into her ear before he left her hotel room the last night they had spent together.

Was that also a lie?

Had she assumed his feelings for her?

Then there was the job hunt that wasn't going so well. The accounting firm Jake had told her about wasn't something she wanted to pursue. The thought of working with Angela made her stomach queasy. Jared had offered her Angela's work email and direct line, speaking highly of her.

 _Had he talked about a different Angela?_

With that thought in mind, Isabella had researched the firm and had confirmed her suspicions. It was the same Angela she had tried to ignore during high school. As the balance in her bank account decreased, that job started to sound more appealing. Options were limited. If by New Year's she didn't have a job lined up, she would gather her courage and apply for that position.

She prayed like hell that someone else would hire her soon.

"Okay," she said, hoping Lauren wouldn't see the panic that flooded through her.

"That's it? Okay?" Lauren asked, her eyes wide.

"Yeah. Okay. I have to face him eventually, right? I could run and hide, but I do want closure. I need answers."

Lauren quieted, wrapping another present for one of her boys. "Will you be okay with just _answers_?"

"What do you mean by that?" Isabella asked, handing Lauren a strip of tape.

"Come on, Bella. I saw the change in you over the small period of time you were here. There was this… this light in you. You came here broken and on the verge of depression, but in just a few days, I saw all that change. I'm willing to bet that man had something to do with your change. So, what I'm asking is will you be okay with the answers he'll give you and walk away? Turn your back on him and maybe his love?"

"I don't think he loves me." Isabella scoffed, wanting this conversation to be over. Lauren was asking questions Isabella didn't even allow to ask herself.

Lauren faced her slowly, her eyebrows raised. "Oh really? You don't think he loves you?" She placed the present by the tree, rising to her feet and walking into the kitchen.

Isabella scrambled to her feet and followed closely. "Care to explain?"

Lauren whirled around from the refrigerator, her eyes hard. "I know what he did wasn't fair. I get that. He should have told you ahead of time, but look at it from his point of view, will you?"

She started to count on her fingers. "He had a client. It was only a job. A way to make ends meet. At that moment, he didn't know that he would find a broken woman, not a cheating wife. He felt drawn to her and wanted to know more. He didn't plan on love, nor that he would see her again. He showed up at your place, for fuck's sake." She sighed, lowering her arms, "The man is sorry and he didn't complete the job. You read the email and saw the pictures yourself. What more proof do you need?"

Isabella held up her hand, furrowing her brows. "Wait! How do you know he was at my house?"

Lauren retrieved a cutting board and started to chop an onion a bit harshly. "He came here looking for you the day after you arrived. He had just gotten back from Seattle and he looked like hell."

"When did you think you would share that with me?" Isabella demanded, betrayal making its way up her spine. Why would Lauren keep this from her?

Lauren paused her task, turning to her friend. "I was going to tell you, but I wanted to do that in person. It wasn't a conversation I wanted to have over the phone, because, well, you see how you reacted."

Isabella retreated, her comeback dying in her throat. Why was this bothering her so much? Lauren was someone on the sidelines, observing as it played out. She was able to see the view from both angles.

Why couldn't Isabella do that?

She wanted so desperately to understand; to move forward, but the betrayal and hurt kept her coming back to square one. Her mistake was that she placed Edward in the same category as Mike.

Manipulative.

Lying.

Deceiving.

Sighing, she lowered herself into a chair. She buried her face in her hands and took a deep breath. "I want to believe all this. I want to believe that his motives changed, but that night at the banquet keeps playing in my mind. His confession and then the memories of what we shared during my time here on the island. How could he do what he did knowing I was married?"

Lauren placed the knife on the counter, washed her hands and took a seat opposite Isabella. "Maybe he figured he wouldn't see you again. You said yourself it was only a fling, thinking you wouldn't see him again, much less love him."

Isabella placed her hands flat on the table and met Lauren's eyes. "It was supposed to be a fling, nothing more. But stupid fucking me let my heart get involved." She chuckled humorlessly, "I remember after that first night we were together that I wanted to see him again, consequences be fucking damned. Well, look at me now." She motioned to herself.

With a small smile, Lauren nodded. "And it's understandable that you fell for him. You needed that feeling of being loved and he filled it when you needed it the most. You both connected and it can either be bad or very, very good."

Isabella sighed, but Lauren continued. "I'm not saying jump back into bed with him. Just keep your mind open when the time comes for you two to talk. He feels terrible."

"What did he say?" The idea of Edward going to her friend spoke volumes. He really was desperate.

"He told me his story and I listened," Lauren admitted and went back to preparing dinner.

That night in her bed, Isabella entertained the idea of having something… more with Edward.

What would that be like once the air had been cleared between them?

God, she was getting ahead of herself yet again.

-T-T-T-

Christmas was in two days.

Isabella wasn't sure how she would fare being alone on this holiday. Most years, Mike and she had spent the night of Christmas Eve at his parents' house and celebrated the next day by lounging in the sitting room, watching the snow fall and drinking spiked eggnog. Renee and Phil would show up around New Year's, stay a few days and leave again. Isabella wondered how it would be if she could travel? Live on the go?

No, that wasn't a life she desired. She enjoyed a home and friends, being able to come home after a long day at work, and have that warmth and security.

She had talked to her mother on the phone the previous day and by the sounds of it, she and Phil were considering moving to Florida.

" _Oh honey, it's so beautiful here and we found this gorgeous house by the beach. We'll be walking distance to the water," her mother gushed._

 _Isabella smiled, folding another towel and putting it in the hall closet. "That's great,_ _Mom,_ _but aren't you worried about hurricanes?"_

 _Renee scoffed. "No, and even if it does happen, we have insurance."_

 _Rolling her eyes, Isabella nodded. "Of course, insurance." Once her mother had her sights set on something, it was difficult to sway her._

" _Sweetie, have you heard anything_ _from Mike_ _?" Renee asked._

 _Isabella froze, the towel she was folding hanging mid-air. "No, not yet."_

" _How long will he put this off? He needs to sign those papers and a hefty cheque while he's at it."_

 _And there it was. The reason why her mother would ask about Mike. She only saw dollar signs. It didn't matter_ _about the hell that_ _Mike had put Isabella through. No, as long there was money involved, the bruises on her skin and in her heart were collateral damage._

Yes, Isabella wanted Mike to sign those papers, but she was nowhere ready to face him again. Hell, even the idea of a phone call sounded as if she was facing the death squad. She made plans to call him after the New Year if the signed papers hadn't arrived. Her lawyer knew of her change of address, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Mike was another story. He would put it off as long as he could, she just knew it.

The door burst open and wind-blown Alice strode inside. She took one glance at Isabella in the kitchen where she was putting the finishing touches on the cheesecake and huffed.

"Why aren't you dressed yet? Or showered for that matter?"

Isabella looked at her quizzically. "Why? The party doesn't start for another four hours. What's the rush?"

Alice gaped at her. "Exactly. Four. Hours. If you take one hour to shower and shave, it only leaves us three hours to do your hair and makeup. Time is being wasted, my friend."

Laughing, Isabella placed the cake in the fridge. "Okay, I'm done, warden. I will go shower now. Why are you making such a big deal out of it anyway?"

Alice shooed her up the stairs and into the bathroom. "Later. Shower. Now." She pointed over Isabella's shoulder with a cocked eyebrow.

-T-T-T-

"Okay, now spill," Isabella demanded, throwing her towel on the bed. Alice had dragged a kitchen chair upstairs and set it in front of the mirror. The vanity was covered with make-up supplies; a curling iron, as well as a straightener, were plugged in and ready.

Alice turned to her, clasping her hands together. "So, tonight might be the night that I will go home with Jasper." She bit her lip.

Isabella rushed to her friend, taking her hands in her own. "That's fantastic. I'm glad you got it all worked out. How did that go?"

"Sit," Alice ordered and began with Isabella's hair, retelling the events of the past few weeks.

"Well, you know that we've been talking."

Isabella nodded, meeting Alice's gaze in the mirror.

"He told me that in his line of work, he has a confidentiality agreement with his clients; whether it be installing security systems or doing a private job. He has to sign those papers with his clients. If he didn't, he would lose his credibility and most likely his license. And it was like you said. Jasper figured the matter was over and it wouldn't be divulged." She paused, curling Isabella's hair.

"He also apologized for not telling me, knowing he could trust me with such information, but afraid of the consequences. Had he known about your situation with Mike, it would have been different."

Isabella smiled at the pink on Alice's cheek. "I'm so happy for you, Ali. So, does that mean, the wedding is back on?"

Alice laughed, curling another strand of hair. "Oh, it's on. We even set a date."

"When?"

"End of February. Two months from now." Alice bounced on her heels, the excitement radiating off her.

"Two months? Wow, Ali. Are you sure you can pull off the wedding you want in two months?" Isabella knew from experience that it took almost a year to plan the venue. Her wedding to Mike had been Jane's idea. At the time, she had just gone with it, too excited about being married to care.

"That's the thing, though," Alice mused. "I don't care for the big wedding anymore. I just want my family and friends. A small ceremony on the beach will do just fine. I know I used to care for the big extravagant stuff, but now, all I care about is marrying Jasper and becoming Mrs. Whitlock."

Isabella smiled, happy for her friend. "I'm glad you two worked things out. I can see how happy he makes you."

Alice smiled and went to work on applying make-up to Isabella's face. "He does. He really does."

Isabella pulled on her red, knee-length dress and met Alice at the door, who was wearing a green dress causing them to laugh. Inside the car, Alice turned to her friend.

"So are you nervous knowing Edward will be there?"

Breathing deeply, Isabella nodded. "I am, but it's Christmas. I need to remember that and I'll be fine."

"Will you talk to him?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I'm just taking one step at a time."

Alice nodded. "That's good. You'll be fine. We all love you, Edward included."

First, it was Lauren, and now Alice mentioned Edward loving her. It caused a delightful shiver to run down her spine, filling her with hope.

With a thundering heart, Isabella greeted Lauren, kissing her cheek.

"He's not here, yet," Lauren whispered in her ear.

Isabella smiled, squeezing Lauren's hand. She was so nervous she felt as though she was shaking like a leaf. Just a few months ago, she had been giddy with excitement at the prospect of seeing Edward and now she was a quivering mess.

As the time ticked by and eggnog was served, making her less anxious, she was sure he wouldn't show. It had been almost two hours.

Maybe he forgot?

No, that didn't sound reasonable.

Perhaps, he knew she was nervous about seeing him and decided not to come?

Yeah, that was probably why.

The doorbell rang, seizing all conversation as all eyes zeroed in on her; gauging her reaction.

It rang again.

Isabella smiled slightly towards Lauren. "Are you going to get that?"

A collective sigh was heard around the room as Lauren nodded and went to answer the door. With anticipation, Isabella tensed in her seat, her glass of eggnog in a death grip in her hand. She moved it to her other hand, hoping it would help.

It did not.

She gulped it down, watching Lauren step back into the living room followed by Edward.

 _God, he is gorgeous_.

That thought proved that the eggnog was certainly spiked. She smiled at Tyler, thanking him silently.

"Hey everyone," Edward's deep voice rang in her ears.

Alice and Jasper hugged him, whispering something. He nodded, his eyes staying on Isabella. They hadn't moved since he set foot in the room. Under his scrutiny, she felt exposed.

Naked.

 _Naked with him sounds_ _like a_ _whole lotta fun._

Yep, that was definitely alcohol.

Lauren stood to her side, ready to intervene when Edward turned to her, setting down his gift bags. "Bella."

Her name on his lips was a little more than she could handle, recalling all those time it was said in the heat of passion. Her hand shook and Lauren took the empty glass.

"Hi," she said with a wave of her hand, praying that everyone would stop staring.

Tyler rounded the corner, handing a beer to Edward. "Glad you could make it, man," he said, clapping him on the shoulder.

The tension was broken and the evening resumed.

Jasper took the seat to Isabella's right and leaned his elbows on his knees, turning his head to face her. "I need to apologize," he started.

Isabella shook her head, but he continued. "Yes, I do. I didn't know what was going on and I'm sorry for my involvement in the matter."

Surprising them both, Isabella wrapped her arms around his neck. "She's happy and that's all that matters to me."

He patted her arm and nodded against her shoulder. "She is my sun."

Dinner was pleasant and with wine, it made everything…lighter. Isabella was able to laugh with her friends as they told horrendous Christmas stories around the dinner table. At all costs, she avoided Edward as much as possible and it was a blessing that he hadn't approached her all evening.

With stuffed bellies, they took their wine glasses and made their way outside. Faint Christmas music was playing over the speakers Tyler had set up and their backyard was adorned with twinkling lights. It was warm, thunder clapping in the distance, indicating a storm.

Isabella's mind wandered to that day she met Edward. It had been storming that evening, too. God, the irony was too damn obvious.

"All right, time for gifts," Alice cheered, perched on Jasper's laugh.

Everyone gathered around, sipping wine and opening presents. Edward sat between Jasper and Tyler, directly across from Isabella. His eyes never strayed far, the green mesmerizing her.

The urge to kiss him coursed through her, causing her eyes to close and she bit her lip to keep from moaning.

She was fucking pathetic thinking of such things when she should be angry.

 _It's the alcohol,_ she surmised. _It has to be._

Edward requested to be the first to hand out presents. He handed everyone a small bag, saving Isabella for last. He waited until everyone had opened their presents until he crouched down in front of her, handing her a manila envelope.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she took it with trembling hands. "What is it?"

He smiled slightly. "Open it," he whispered, his eyes pleading.

With a swift yank, she opened it and pulled out a small layer of papers.

"What? How? When?" She asked, not sure if she was surprised or disappointed.

"It's what you wanted," he said, taking her cold shaking hand in his warm, steady one.

She looked from the papers to him and then back again, a lump forming in her throat. Edward became blurry as tears formed in her eyes.

Why would he do this?

She bit her trembling bottom lip and shook her head. This is not how she wanted it to happen. Not this way.

"Bella?" Edward asked worryingly.

"I need to go." She shot out of her chair, causing Edward to fall back as she stormed through the house.

The first droplets of rain started to fall as thunder cracked overhead. She jumped and shrieked, yanking her car door open with force.

What she had waited for, what she wanted, Edward had given her **.**

Her signed divorce papers.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading and all the love you have shown this story. I'd love to read your thoughts on this chapter.  
**


	14. Blame

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _Blame_ _by Autumn Hill  
But I was there and baby you were too  
Yeah, this fell apart in both of our hands  
Now the white flag's gonna wave  
There's nothing left to say_

Chapter 13

A clap of thunder sounded overhead.

Silence engulfed the group as Edward sat on the ground staring after Bella. _Come back. Come back to me,_ he thought, the tapping of her fading steps stomping on his heart.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Lauren screeched her eyes livid.

Lightning fluttered between the clouds. Fat raindrops dropped onto Edward's cheek. Slowly, he met Lauren's angry gaze.

Alice went one-step further and smacked the back of his head. Furious he trained his eyes on her. Jasper shrugged and raised his hands in a defeated manner. "I told you, man."

Tyler excused himself and carried the unwrapped presents into the house. Lauren's heart warmed. Her husband wasn't the kind that dealt with situations like this very well. He wanted to keep peace with everyone and wouldn't get involved in someone else's business, like Edward and Bella's.

"What were you thinking?" Alice asked, clinging to Jasper's hands. "What made you decide to give those papers to her now? Couldn't you have done it sooner? Or later? Not during the holidays."

Edward looked between the two women, the rain intensifying. Rising to his feet, he rolled his shoulders and turned to follow Bella. She deserved his explanation much more.

"Where do you think you're going?" Alice followed behind, grasping his forearm.

"I need to talk to her," he muttered, knowing his welcome at this house had expired.

"What are you going to do?" Lauren questioned, closing the back door with a quiet click. Through the windows, the rain pelted towards the ground like a waterfall. If he wasn't so stressed about Bella, Edward would want to take his camera and capture the beauty.

"You can't just go to her and expect her to forgive you," Alice quipped. "She's hurting and thinks you are just as bad as Mike…"

"I am nothing like that scumbag," Edward defended himself readily, pointing a finger in Alice's face. How dare she compare him to such a foul piece of man?

Blinking slowly, Alice took his hand. "Maybe those weren't the right words. You're not as bad as he is, but still, she feels betrayed. Don't you see that?"

Edward was slowly hating the heart to heart they kept coming back to. She had made him see things differently those few days they were together all those months ago. Edward was sure it would all be better if she'd only listen to him.

"I did nothing wrong," he whispered. "I didn't do what _Mike_ wanted me to do."

Jasper, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, clapped Edward on the shoulder. "I know you didn't, Mase, but you also didn't tell Bella the truth when you had the chance. I believe that's what's causing her the most pain."

"You were the hope she clung to after she went back to Seattle. She had hoped to face that monster and it was because of you, Edward, "Alice continued after Jasper. "But the fact that it wasn't a chance meeting and that you were _hired_ by Mike to spy on her, makes her feel like you were here to honey trap her."

"But that's not true," Edward defended himself again. "She saw the pictures. She has to know that it's not true, right?" His voice trailed off slowly.

Lauren joined the trio, standing at Alice's side. Edward felt like he was facing the firing squad. He hadn't felt this vulnerable since Denver.

"On some level, I believe she does know, but she's been in an abusive relationship for quite some time. You were the only light in the dark tunnel. For her, the hope for something better is very slim when it comes to men," Lauren added.

Edward knew he had to make Bella see differently. Turning on his heels, he yanked the door open and stormed into the rain. His friends called for him to wait and think, but based on what they had said, he couldn't waste any time.

Not anymore.

The wipers on his car slid across the windshield at a fast pace. His phone buzzed on the passenger seat, but he ignored it. It was ten minutes to Bella's place and it was enough time for his mind to come up with different scenarios on how the confrontation could turn out.

Trying to remain hopeful, Edward imagined Bella opening the door with tears in her eyes and welcoming him into her home and into her arms. She'd listen to his explanation and she'd forgive him.

Shaking his head, Edward grimaced. "That would be too easy," he murmured to himself.

Realistically, he knew she would be hesitant to opening her home to him. He remembered quite well the last time she sent him from her property.

The memory played through his mind like it happened yesterday. On instinct, his fingers flexed as he remembered touching her arm, that _feeling_ washing over his body. She felt it, too. Edward knew she had in the way her breath hitched and her eyes flashed with memories of their time together. Walking away from her had been like dragging a pile of bricks behind him; fucking difficult.

Bella's car was parked in the driveway and he cut the lights as he pulled in behind the red Civic. It wasn't as luxurious as the Town Cars she was used to in Seattle, giving Edward the impression that this was her first purchase. He smiled lightly imagining the triumph she must have felt.

Turning off the ignition, he watched the soft glow of light that radiated through the front windows. Through a sliver of the curtain, he could see the Christmas tree as the red and silver glistened from the lights that adorned the tree.

A shadow moved in the window and Edward straightened in his seat, his eyes squinting to make out her delicate details. She had been a vision in red at the small gathering at Tyler and Lauren's. It had been so difficult not to run his fingers through her long hair or brush along the softness of her cheek.

Not wanting to make her impression of him any worse, he hiked up the collar of his leather jacket and made his way into the rain. Puddles were starting to form on the slightly grooved pavement, his boots splashing through the water. By the time he stood in front of her door, he was soaked through his clothes.

With his fist poised to knock, Edward froze. He needed a better line than _I'm sorry._ It wasn't enough and he knew it. She'd most likely slam the door back in his face.

When he couldn't come up with a better opening line, he took a deep breath and let his knuckles rap against the wood.

There was no sign that Bela was coming to answer the door.

Edward tried again. "Bella?"

This time, he heard a thud against the door coming from the inside. His eyes roamed over the door, hoping the knob would turn and he could see her face. He imagined she was leaning against the wood with her forehead.

"Bella, please."

She whimpered, the sound piercing his heart. Inhaling sharply, he placed his hand on the door. Water dripped from his hair and slid down his cheeks.

Licking his lips, he leaned his forehead against the door. "I know what I did was wrong. I should have told you the truth before you left." He inhaled, "I should have done a lot of things differently, but one thing I never would want to change is…"

The door flung open, revealing her tear-filled eyes to him. "Don't," she whispered. "Don't say those words."

"That I love you," Edward said them anyway. His hand reached for her cheek, but she stepped back. "Bella, it's true. Please believe me. I love you more than words could describe. I love you more than there is water on this planet."

Her lips lifted slightly, causing his heart to fill with hope. "That doesn't change the fact that I was a job for you. Nothing more than a paycheck."

He was magnificent standing in the rain. The clothes clung to his muscled form and his hair fell into his eyes, causing Isabella's fingers to twitch at her side. Her heart ached to have him near. To feel his warm skin against hers. She yearned for things to be different.

Edward's eyes burned into hers. "That's not true. You read the email, didn't you?"

At her slight nod, he continued. "I never, ever, took any pictures of us together. After that first night, I didn't lift my camera when it came to you."

He was inside her home now, looming in the doorway. Without her notice, he had advanced and she had stepped back. With a flick of his wrist, the door slammed shut, quieting the rain to a dull roar on the roof.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Isabella whispered, the excruciating pain in her chest flaring. "You had so many opportunities and you never said a word."

Lowering his eyes to the floor, his shoulders slumped. "I wish I had…"

"But you didn't!" Isabella raised her voice, "You never said one fucking word. I believed that it was a chance encounter. That those few days were my escape from my horrible marriage…"

Edward grasped her shoulders, meeting her gaze with his hard stare. "That's just it. It was a horrible marriage. Something I didn't know. I never knew what he had done to you until Alice told me. I suspected things weren't the way they should be by the broken look in your eyes, but that it was _that_ bad, I didn't know."

Isabella's breath hitched, her eyes glued to his. "If you knew who I was, who my _husband_ was, why didn't you just leave me alone? Photograph the _evidence_ he wanted and leave me to my miserable life?"

"Because I knew that broken look. I've seen it many times when I looked in the mirror," Edward confessed, the barriers around his heart loosening and giving way. For her to understand his reasoning, he would have to tell her the truth.

"Her name was Kate," he started. "It happened just over four years ago. I was an officer in the Denver Police Department and making my way up the ladder to being a detective. A lifelong dream."

His eyes closed briefly, letting himself relive those days. "She was everything that I'd ever wanted. Smart, beautiful and independent. I should have known at the time that it was too good to be true. As my job became more demanding, so did she. She knew what my job entailed; that being a detective was all I wanted to do. Kate planned events for us without consulting me first and then proceeded to make me feel guilty for doing my job."

Pausing, Edward met Isabella's eyes. She had her lower lip wedged between her teeth and her tears brimmed in those dark eyes. "I thought everything was better when her pestering stopped. She rarely planned an outing; the model girlfriend."

He huffed in anger. "Well, my co-workers started to whisper around me; giving me sympathetic smiles and pats on my back. It drove me crazy, so I asked my buddy that I went through the academy with what the fuck was going on."

"What happened?" Isabella asked quietly.

"Rumor was that she was busy screwing other men in the Denver district. At the time, I didn't believe him. I knew Kate; she was home to greet me and had dinner ready. The woman these men described wasn't the one I knew. One could say that I was blinded by love."

Gripping his hair in frustration, Edward continued. "I did the one thing I never thought I'd do. I started to follow her around town…"

"Why didn't you just ask her?"

Edward let out a humorless chuckle. "I did. She kept denying it. She would manipulate me into thinking that I was the best thing that happened to her. That she couldn't even think about another man as long as she had me. Since all men are proud creatures, I believed her and it boosted my ego."

"Anyway, I started following her around with a camera I borrowed from a friend in the forensic department. I caught her with three different men throughout the week. My world fell apart. I could barely believe that it happened to me."

Isabella gasped. "Oh my God."

Edward nodded and took another step towards Isabella. "Now do you understand why I know that look? I was broken once, too. I loved and it backfired. I hadn't been with another woman until you. I knew the moment I saw you that I wanted something different for you. I wanted to give you a reason to smile. I know I took the wrong approach to the whole situation, but that was never my intention. I hadn't expected to fall so hard for you."

"But you knew who I was. You were _hired_ by _Mike._ " Isabella's throat closed with the last words, hating Mike a little more.

"I know, baby," Edward muttered. "I tried to distance myself from the feelings that were coursing through me. I tried to stay away; figured if I believed it and only stayed at a distance, I could do my job and forget about you."

"But the next evening as I observed you eating dinner – alone and sad, I couldn't stay away as I watched that tear slide down your cheek. I needed to make sure you were okay."

Isabella's eyes closed, tears spilling down her cheeks. The hurt on his face as Edward described his past love, mirrored her own. She knew what it felt like to be manipulated into believing that she was loved by Mike.

Edward's hand brushed across her cheek and his thumb wiped at the wetness beneath her closed lids. Her breath shuddered and her heart flipped in her chest.

"Bella," he pleaded. "I am so sorry for all of this and especially for tonight. I shouldn't have handed those papers to you as a Christmas present. I am sorry."

Her eyes opened slowly, meeting his. They reflected the sparkling Christmas lights and her head turned slowly to the tree. She and Alice had decorated it a few days prior. It radiated happiness and hope like a warm cup of coffee and enjoying time with family.

Her mother had called her a few days ago, apologizing that they wouldn't make it home for Christmas, but would be happy if Bella would join them in Florida. Isabella had tried to stay optimistic through the past few days, but the reality was that she was alone for Christmas for the first time in many years.

She longed for the closeness of family her father had shown her during the holidays. She longed for the sense of belonging and security he had given her. God, she missed him.

"What are you thinking?" Edward asked when she didn't respond, his voice hoarse.

She met his eyes again. The vulnerability and hope caused her to long for him. He was here, with her and offering himself to her. Briefly, she wondered if he had a family waiting for him.

"I…" she trailed off, looking out the window. The rain pelted against the glass, causing memories of their first encounter to flash through her mind.

His eyes were the first that had captured her, the green so mesmerizing that she couldn't look away. Then the following night on the boardwalk – he had awakened something in her body and mind that she didn't know still existed.

"What?" Edward urged softly, coaxing her out of her trip down memory lane. "What do you want, Bella?"

So many of her dreams consisted of his soft voice, as he was loving her. She closed her eyes again, letting the words fall from her lips. "You." She opened her eyes to his surprised ones. "I want you."

Edward blinked, surely having misheard her. "What? I don't think…"

Isabella shook her head. "No, don't think. Just… feel. I need to feel you, here with me."

To his surprise, she lifted herself and molded her lips to his. Gripping his biceps, she urged him to open up to her. She needed this; needed to feel him once more. In the back of her mind, a small voice was screaming at her, telling her it was a bad idea. It probably was a terrible idea to invite him into her bed again, but she wanted to feel _wanted_ as the clock inched closer to midnight and announced Christmas Day. She wanted to feel like she belonged; like she was loved.

Slowly, he moved his lips with her. At her small moan, he ran his tongue over her lower lip and greedily, she opened her mouth. He tasted like wine and Edward. He angled her head and deepened the kiss, sucking on her bottom lip before twisting his tongue with hers again.

Her fingers trailed over his wet chest and settled in his hair. At his groan, he drew her close pressing her body against his. It felt amazing to feel him against her, the months without him crashing into her. The fantasies of him didn't do him justice. He tasted better, he felt better and he still made her feel so alive.

Edward's hands on her cheeks slid down her sides, as Isabella unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. It landed on the floor with a wet splash. Her fingers brushed across his chest, feeling the muscles ripple and move beneath the flesh. Before she could loosen his belt, he bent at the knee and took hold of the back of her thighs, wrapping her legs around his waist and carrying her into the dimly lit living room.

With Isabella straddling him, Edward sat down on the couch, kissing her lips as if he couldn't get enough. He had missed her taste, her scent, and her breathy moans. He released her thighs and smoothed his hands up her back, fiddling with the zipper of her dress.

As they both needed a breath, Isabella kissed along Edward's jaw up to his ear, moaning deep when his tongue swirled over the pulse point on her neck and the lobe of her ear.

"I've missed you so much," Edward, breathed. "Every day without you was torture. Not knowing if you were okay or not."

Isabella's eyes opened, seeing the divorce papers on the table a few feet away. Her breath quickened and her fingers stilled in Edward's hair.

How had he gotten those papers signed from Mike?

 _Why am I doing this?_ She questioned. _Am I ready for this?_

Edward noticed her hesitation and drew his head back to look into her eyes. "Bella?"

Slowly, she focused back to him, releasing his hair and rising to her feet, smoothing her dress back down her thighs.

"What is it?" Edward questioned, rising too. He knew that there was so much that they both needed to discuss before being reacquainted, but he had agreed to this, wanting to give her anything that she desired. He'd do anything for her, anything for her to forgive him and let him make her happy once more.

"I can't do this," Isabella whispered, biting her lip and turning away from his intense gaze. It didn't go unnoticed that he was painfully straining against the fly of his jeans. She wanted so badly to forget her fear and insecurities, to forgive him, to be loved by him once more.

"We don't have to do anything." Edward took her hand, squeezing it gently.

Pulling her hand out of his grasp, she twisted her fingers together and swallowed heavily. "I'm not ready for this."

* * *

 **A/N: T** **hanks for reading and thanks to those that review. You are something special. Things will start to get better after this, I promise.**

 **FYI: This is probably gonna be the last regular update for a while. I'm sorry, but with the holidays around the corner, work and RL have been on fast forward. I write when I have time. Please be patient with me.**

 **On a side note I want to address the coward guest reviewer that can't sign in when bashing my stories. If you don't like it, don't read! It's that simple. If you don't like the story or stories, simply exit them. You don't have to bash them just because they're not up to your fucked up standards. That makes you a bully hiding behind the anonymity of a guest reviewer.**


	15. Let it out

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _Let it out_ _by George Canyon  
I'm not here to judge you, I won't say a word  
I'm just here to love you for all my love is worth  
I'll kiss away your sadness, I'll never let you down  
The time has come, baby, the time is now_

Chapter 14

"Wait!"

Isabella's hesitant voice stopped Edward at the door. His fingers that were wrapped around the knob stilled and he slowly turned to face her. Hope bloomed as he watched her chew on her bottom lip, her eyes darting from his gaze to his hand on the door, an internal battle waging behind her irises.

 _What am I doing?_ Isabella questioned herself. _Why is this so hard? Giving advice to_ _Alice about talking_ _to Jasper was easy, so why can't I do the same._

She sighed. _This is pathetic. I can do this._ She straightened her stance, looking directly into Edward's green eyes. _I need closure and he has answers._

"How… how did you get those?" She questioned, pointing at the papers containing Mike's signature.

Edward's gaze darkened, anger covering his features. "Are you sure you want to know?"

When she nodded, he continued, taking a few steps back into the living room. "Because it will hurt you."

She took a deep breath, watching him advance. "It will," he continued, "because there are things about Mike that you don't know."

"I can handle it," she said adamantly. "What more can you tell me that I don't already know?"

Michael Newton wasn't the type of man to surrender, which made her curious as to what Edward had discovered.

Running his fingers through his wet hair, Edward took his seat. He filtered through the evidence he had collected, fearing that the information would cripple Isabella. She was stronger already; emotionally and mentally, but he didn't want to cause her more hurt.

With a heavy sigh, he watched her take a seat on the opposite end of the couch, her fingers laced together in anticipation. God, he hoped that she was strong enough to handle what he was about to say.

"After I… had talked to you at the charity ball, I followed _Mike_ to his house," Edward started, his eyes fixed on the rain-covered window.

He heard Isabella take a deep breath and met her wide eyes briefly before continuing. "I was afraid you'd be at the house .I was afraid he'd hurt you the way he'd done before and I couldn't let him do that again."

The memory of his interaction with Mike replayed through his mind. "He was livid. Screaming your name. I snuck into his office," a small smile filled with pride stretched across Edward's mouth. "The place was a mess. He was on the phone with some guy he hired to find you and bring you back."

Isabella's hand shook and tears brimmed in her dark eyes.

"The week prior to the banquet, I investigated Mike; followed him to his meetings and other… activities." Meeting Isabella's eyes briefly, Edward continued. "His other activities consisted of … fucking … other women. Hookers to be exact."

Isabella trembled. It shouldn't surprise her that Mike had been unfaithful, she had an idea that he was getting his needs fulfilled somewhere else. She hadn't been willing to have sex with him since the night he had laid a hand on her.

Edward stared at Isabella, waiting for her to scream, cry, anything. Why wasn't she reacting? His hands curled into fists on his lap. He wanted to…

"I guess it makes sense," her timid voice broke through the angry haze. "He wasn't the man I married six years ago. It would only make sense that he'd get his needs met by someone else. I wasn't very cooperative when it came to intimacy."

"What the fuck?" Edward gritted out. "Are you saying that it's your fault?" The angry haze turned bright red and the skin stretched over his knuckles. God, he wanted to punch Mike.

Isabella blinked, her eyes wide as she watched the fury tremble across Edward's sharp features. She hadn't seen him this way before. With her, he was gently and sweet, making her feel loved.

"I should have punched him when I had the chance," he fumed. Turning towards her, he grasped her hands, noticing the slight tremble.

Swallowing the profanities he wanted to spew, he met her gaze; frightful and confused met dark and angry. "That excuse of a man and his actions are not your fault," he said, hoping that she'd believe him. "He made the choice to be abusive. He made the choice to fuck those hookers. It is not your fault. Please understand that," Edward finished, squeezing her hands.

Fat tears rolled down Isabella's cheeks, wanting to believeEdward's words. But hearing the words and believing them was something else. Maybe she could have been a better wife. Maybe Mike wouldn't be the way he was now. The guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders.

It was pathetic really. She knew Mike had changed, she had watched that loving, kind husband morph into a dark and controlling man that she could hardly recognize. He had stopped being her husband the day that he got control over his father's company. It gave him unlimited resources and money. He became a powerful man, known and feared all over the country.

"Bella," Edward's pleading voice filtered through the guilty fog in her mind. "Please believe me. He preyed on your insecurities. That makes him weak and pathetic." He breathed deeply, the fact that she was here and away from that psychopath, causing him relief.

"You got out. That counts for something. No woman deserved to be treated the way you were and the sad truth is, there are still a lot out there that don't have the courage you did to get away from their abusive partners."

Isabella hiccupped. She knew… she knew in her heart that what he was saying was true, but how long would it take for her heart to accept that she was worthy? How long until she would let herself feel Edward's love again?

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I'm sorry for being so weak. I'm sorry for dragging you, Alice, and Jasper into my mess. That was never my intention."

With a shake of his head, Edward pulled her close, his heart breaking at the wrenching sobs coming from her lips. The urge to strangle Mike slowly and painfully was overwhelming. Edward wanted to see Mike suffer for the pain he had inflicted on Isabella.

"Shh," he soothed, rubbing his palms lightly down her back. The warmth of her tears as they seeped through his damp shirt felt somehow soothing on his chest. His eyes closed, he pressed his lips to her hair, rocking her gently until her crying ceased.

"But how did you get him to sign the divorce papers?" She suddenly asked, drawing back hastily and wiping at her tears frantically.

"We talked," Edward grinned. "He signed and I agreed that I wouldn't leak those images of him and his whores to the press." He scoffed, "That man sure loves his reputation."

Isabella looked as though her mind was far away. Her face was blotchy, her eyes sad and her lips drawn into a thin line. Edward's brow furrowed when she spoke.

"It wasn't always like that, you know. He was sweet." She smiled in remembrance. "He would open the door for me and buy me flowers for no reason. Every girl's dream man."

Her brows threw together. "But once he got his father's company, everything changed. He became… cruel, harsh."

This was more than Edward had expected of her. She had shared a piece of herself with him. The heartache and hurt she had experienced and was still suffering from, was more than he could relate to. Yes, Kate had cheated on him, but Isabella knew a level of hurt from her significant other that he couldn't understand. What man would beat his wife into submission?

Edward had no words to offer her, so he took her hand and held it gently in his. After a moment, Isabella came back from her trip down memory lane and smiled softly at him.

"I guess I should thank you for doing that for me." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm sorry for the way I ran out on you and … everyone else." She buried her face in her hands. "God, I messed up this Christmas party. I should call Lauren and apologize."

The beat of Edward's heart steadied now seeing her more herself; the woman he had laughed with that night on the boardwalk. "I'm sure they won't hold it against you."

Isabella rose from her seat and stepped towards the table, her fingers brushing across the divorce papers. "Yeah, but I need to call my lawyer and get these filed."

"Hasn't he contacted you already?" Edward's brow furrowed and he pointed towards the papers. "These are only copies. I mailed in the originals."

Her head snapped around to meet his gaze. "What? But …" Her eyes widened and she spun on her heel, running up the stairs and returning with her cellphone a moment later.

"I can't believe I didn't charge it." She plugged in the charger and watched the phone power on. "After I got here and I received your messages, I put my phone in the nightstand drawer and didn't bother to check it again. I kept using the house phone."

"I'm sorry about those," Edward apologized, rising and walking to her side. "I didn't think t over very well when I left you those messages. All I kept thinking was that I needed to talk to you _now_."

She waved her hand dismissively between them. "There're a lot of things I wish I would have done differently, but we're here now, aren't we?"

Slowly, her gaze rose to meet his. Hope and determination were what she saw. "Yeah," he breathed. "We're here."

As he moved closer, her phone chirped and the moment was broken. God, he wanted to draw her close, feel her body mold against his and fuse her lips to his; kiss away all those months lost.

Isabella brought her phone to her ear and listened to her messages, gnawing on her bottom lip before switching to her fingernails. Edward took her hand gently and ran his fingers over her palm in a soothing manner. She smiled lightly and placed her phone back on the counter.

"I guess that's it then." She swallowed her face blank. "Somehow, I still can't believe he signed those so quickly, without making a big deal out of it."

Edward grimaced. He wanted to tell her that everything would be all right and that she wouldn't have to worry about Mike, but deep in his gut, he knew that Mike wouldn't go down without a fight.

"This can't be it." Isabella voiced his thoughts. "He wouldn't just give in like this." Her eyes flew to Edward's in a panic. "Right?"

"I'd like to tell you that you won't hear from him again, I really do. But I agree with you. He's probably not gonna give up that easily."

"What can I do?" She questioned frantically. "Move? Change my name? I know that won't help any. He would find me, I know it."

Edward squeezed her hand. "I will protect you as much as I can, but at the first sight of him – any contact, you have to go to the police."

She hesitated.

"Promise me," He growled, stepping closer.

"What can they do?" Isabella questioned. "All they can do is file a report, but otherwise, he gets off scot-free again."

She was right. Edward knew this, but there had to be something they could do. "At least, they would have a file on him then. That's a start."

Isabella nodded, her mind going over different possibilities on what Mike could do to get to her. "Maybe I could take some defense lessons. You know, learn how to defend myself. That way I wouldn't be completely helpless."

It would help. She would be able to defend herself if Mike would try something physical, but the thought of her going against Mike scared him. He wanted to be the one to protect her.

"I could teach you," he offered instead of voicing his thoughts.

Isabella eyed him thoughtfully. Would she be able to handle training with Edward? All that physical contact? The thought of Edward shirtless entered her mind and she bit her lip. It was such a tempting offer.

"I can't ask that of you," she hedged.

"I'm offering," Edward smiled crookedly. Spending more time with her was his objective and if this was the way to go, he would take it.

After a moment of silence as Isabella contemplated the idea, she agreed. As he listed all the options and the days they could work together, Isabella started a pot of coffee. Edward wasn't in a hurry to leave and she couldn't ask him to. She liked his company and as the clock on the microwave moved past midnight, she smiled. The thought of being alone at Christmas didn't frighten her as much anymore.

They sat at the dining room table; her hands wrapped around the steaming coffee mug and listened to Edward map out the schedule. He talked about the different scenarios they would use and how he would train her. It sounded so easy, but in reality, Isabella knew she would get a couple of bruises, but it would be worth it, not being completely helpless against Mike.

He took a small sip of his black coffee and met her smiling gaze. "What?" He asked, setting down his cup again.

"Mele Kalikimaka," she smiled in return.

"Mele Kalikimaka, Bella." He checked his watch and it showed past 1 a.m. "Damn, I didn't know it was this late." He rose from his chair, "I should probably head out."

The rain had decreased to a drizzle as he opened the door. Isabella followed closely behind, wrapping her arms around herself. She wanted to be selfish and ask him to stay one more hour, or maybe two. Hell, she wanted to ask him to stay the night and possibly the day, but it was Christmas and he probably had family that would expect him sometime in the morning.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."

Edward's fingers traced lightly from her temple down her cheek and paused on the pulse point of her neck, feeling her erratic heartbeat. He wanted to kiss her, so bad. "No, _thank you._ For giving me a chance."

As she watched him back out of the driveway, she smiled. "Merry Christmas, indeed," she whispered into the night.

* * *

 **A/N: I'd say that's a good turning point for these two. A more happier chapter for the holidays. Things will start to get better from now on, but we still have Mike to deal with? What? You thought I'd let him off so easy? Hell no! What do you think should happen to him? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter and what you would do to Mike... :)  
**

 **This will be the last regular update until next year. I'd love to say that I have more chapters ready, but I don't. I'm sorry. RL gets in the way and there's no time to write. But it will finish, that i promise you.**

 **But for now, MERRY CHRISTMAS to you lovely people. I hope you have a blessed holiday season and enjoy your time with loved ones. Don't forget to say 'I love you' to the ones that matter.**


	16. Be You

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _Be you_ _by High Valley  
Ain't gonna be no job  
Ain't gonna be that money  
No, all I'm gonna be chasing  
Is your love, honey_

Chapter 15

To say she was nervous was an understatement.

Isabella sat in her car eyeing the entrance to Edward's condo building. He wanted her to meet him here for her training, telling her that the gym in his building was fairly empty and it would give them space to work.

Empty space.

Space occupied only by Edward and herself.

She chewed on her bottom lip.

Being alone with Edward was something she craved, but that didn't mean that the hurt she felt was gone. This was his way of making it up to her and she was truly grateful, but how much could her fragile heart endure?

Images of Mike, the anger in his eyes, his fists as they connected with her skin made her breathing hitch. She had to do this. If only to have a way to fight back, not if, but when he came for her.

He would come for her, she knew. She felt it in her bones, and fear trickled down her spine.

Isabella's fingers tightened on the steering wheel, her eyes scanning the area, but seeing nothing out of the ordinary. With a resigned sigh, she exited her car and quickly made her way to the entrance of the building.

She pressed the button for Edward's condo, hearing his raspy voice on the other end. "Bella, come in. I'll meet you downstairs."

She didn't have to wait long before she heard him coming down the stairs. Her lip wedged between her teeth as her eyes took in the sight of him. Gym shorts and a black wife beater highlighted his toned biceps. The memories of those arms wrapped around her came back with a vengeance.

Again, how would she able to resist him?

"I didn't think you'd come," he said softly, stopping a few inches from her.

Isabella titled her head to the side, forcing her eyes to meet his. "Why not? I did agree to this, right?"

Edward's green eyes searched hers. "I know, but I saw you sitting in your car, hesitating." His voice trailed off and a tinge of pink colored his sun-kissed cheeks. "Creepy, I know. I'm sorry."

She laughed loudly. "Considering why and how we met, I don't think that's creepy."

Edward's smile fell and Bella knew her mistake. She opened her mouth to apologize, but he beat her to it, shaking his head. "Don't," he started. "Don't you dare apologize, I deserved that."

"Maybe. Maybe not. I still shouldn't have said it."

The urge to touch him was strong. She wanted to reassure him somehow, to feel the closeness that they had lost. Edward's eyes traveled to her lips, licking his slowly, and her skin heated. The air around them became stifled with sexual tension.

Edward sucked in a deep breath, motioning to a hallway to their right. "Shall we?"

Isabella nodded eagerly. "Yes. I'm ready to learn, master."

She heard his groan and smiled slyly to herself. "Too much?"

He opened the door to the gym and met her teasing gaze. "No. Not at all. Just be prepared to pay for that remark."

"Yes, master," she teased again, making sure to let her body touch his as she walked past him.

"Fuck," he groaned under his breath, touching her fingers slightly with his. It was a small gesture indicating to her that he was still fighting for her, with her. That she wasn't alone.

-T-

The nights still seemed lonely to her. The darkness holding too much unknown, and Isabella made sure that she locked every door, every window, every night. That feeling of unease just wouldn't settle.

Lauren and Alice never let her spend too much time alone, always finding something to do to occupy her.

Two weeks had passed since she had started training with Edward. Her muscles ached, but she was making progress. Isabella had even been able to defend herself against Edward once, and it had made her smile like a loon as she had straddled his waist.

"I did it," she had gasped, unbelievingly. Her gaze met Edward's, pride shining in his. "I did it!"

Without hesitation, she had leaned down and kissed his lips, her eyes wide as she felt his body tense beneath hers.

"Shit," she had exclaimed, rising quickly into a seated position, feeling his cock harden beneath her. Her eyes had widened, meeting his lust-filled gaze. "I'm sorry." The apology had fallen from her lips as she had scrambled from his body, lying down beside him, facing the ceiling.

Edward had cleared his throat unnecessarily. "No. If that's the thanks I'm gonna get for letting you tackle me, by all means, I'll be your willing participant."

Giggling, she had slapped his bicep, earning a deep chuckle. It seemed as though the heavy tension between them had finally dissipated.

That following day she went wedding dress shopping with Alice, and she finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel for her job search. She just couldn't imagine working with Angela. Therefore, she hadn't picked up the phone and called the accounting firm Jacob had suggested.

The chimes jingled as Alice and Isabella entered the boutique. Beautiful white dresses lined the surrounding area, with a few showcased in the windows.

"Alice, my dear," a long-legged blonde with the bluest eyes Isabella had ever seen, greeted them. "I see you've come back."

Alice nodded her smile wide. "Hey, Rose." She turned to Isabella, "This is one of my matrons of honor, Bella. Since you know what I like, can you find something for her?"

"Hello, Bella," the blonde greeted, kissing Isabella's cheek lightly. "I'm Rose, the owner of this well-maintained boutique." She gestured with her hand to the surroundings. "It's very nice to meet you. Any friend of Alice's is a friend mine."

"Nice to meet you, Rose. You have a lovely boutique."

Rose took Isabella's arm gently and guided her towards the back. "Yes, come with me. I have something for you that I'm sure you will like."

With a gentle smile, Rose opened a door towards the back and arched her eyebrow at Bella. "Go on."

Tentatively, Isabella stepped over the threshold. The room was off-white, fabrics strewn over tables and racks. Four different kinds of sewing machines sat on two different tables. Isabella's mouth opened in a gasp. She could get lost in here for hours, days even.

"So, what do you think?" Rose asked from the doorframe.

Isabella's eyes took in everything, from the fabrics to the buttons and thread. "This place is fantastic."

"Good," Rose clapped her hands together. "Then it's settled. You will start work on Monday."

Isabella whirled around, shocked. "What?"

"Don't be so surprised," Rose, laughed lightly. "Alice was here almost every day for the past few weeks, raving about your work and showing me some of your designs. It was inevitable that I would hire you."

"What?" Isabella couldn't form any words. "How…? Why would she do this?" She asked quietly, more to herself.

Rose took a step towards Isabella, her smile gentle. "Because she's your friend and she cares about you." She laughed, "God, you should have seen her. She was like a dog with a bone. Just wouldn't let me say no."

"I don't know what to say." Tears pricked at Isabella's eyes.

"You should do something you love," Alice's quiet voice came from the door.

Isabella's eyes flew up to meet her gaze. "Ali…"

Alice held up her hand. "No need. I know you're grateful." She rolled her eyes playfully.

Rose laughed along with Isabella. "Now, let's get you that dress that Alice wants you to wear to her beautiful wedding."

At that point, Isabella didn't yet know what a great friend she would have in Rose.

-T-

"How was your week?" Edward asked before taking a drink of water and wiping sweat from his brow. He had just shown Isabella a new technique he had trained with Jasper a few months back and she was learning quicker than he had anticipated… or wanted.

Isabella wiped her neck with a towel and took the offered bottle of water. "Busy. This new job is great. Rose…is great."

Edward nodded. "That's… great." They chuckled.

"How was your week?" She asked, discarding the towel.

"Busy with the new contract, but this…" he hesitated. "This is definitely the highlight of my week."

Isabella felt the telltale blush rise in her cheeks. "Sparring with a woman? That's the best of your week? Wouldn't a man be a better match?"

He stepped closer, his eyes darkening. "Oh no. You see, a woman has nice curves. Like yours." He stepped closer again, his fingers trailing over her toned abdomen, and then gripping her hip, a twinkle in his eyes. "You're a perfect match for me."

The gasp left her mouth and she gripped his shoulders as he pinned her down on the mattress in a flurry of movements. "Edward!" She screeched, wrapping her legs around his waist and trying to push him onto his back.

His deep groan caused her to stop, her eyes flying up to meet his. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," he gritted out, rising to his knees and lifting his arm, inspecting the damage. "I wasn't careful and cut my arm on the corner of this bench." Blood slowly oozed out of the wound and trickled down to his hand.

"Fuck," she cursed and quickly rose to her feet, taking his hand and wrapping her previously discarded towel around his arm. "It needs to be disinfected and dressed."

Without a thought, she led him out of the gym and then stopped. Her lip wedged between her teeth as she looked back at him sheepishly.

Edward smiled lightly, squeezing her fingers. "Third floor, number 302."

Isabella only noticed that his condo was sleek with black furniture and gray walls. It was completely fitting for a man. She urged him to sit at one of the barstools at the breakfast nook and asked where his First-Aid kit was.

He pointed towards the hallway. "My bathroom. Last door down the hall."

His bedroom made her stop and suck in a breath. A king sized bed stood in the middle with blue sheets and dark gray curtains hung from the window. The bed was made and no lingering dirty clothes were on the floor.

The bathroom was clean, too. No hair, no toothpaste sticking in the sink. Clean. Way too clean. Whereas the bedroom was dark in color, the bathroom was white with blue towels hanging from the towel racks.

Two towels.

Doubt crept into Isabella's mind.

Had she waited too long? Had he moved on?

Blinking furiously at the tears that wanted to spill, she grabbed the kit and hurried down the stairs. If Edward had moved on, she would accept that. Besides, he hadn't made any moves towards her in the weeks they had been training together. Why would she assume that he was still available? He was attractive and an expert in the sex department. What woman wouldn't want him?

Pushing aside all those nagging thoughts, she busied herself with cleaning his wound and dressing it with a bandage. Silence engulfed the large open space, stifling them, but she could feel him watching her.

"Thanks," he murmured when she was done.

She could only nod, the image of two towels in his bathroom occupying her mind. "I guess I should head back then."

She was about to open the door when his voice stopped her. "Bella?"

Slowly, she turned, hoping that her fucking tears wouldn't show. "Yeah." It sounded small and timid.

"Come here." He beckoned with his hand, still sitting on that barstool.

Isabella dropped her bag and walked over to him. "Is something wrong? Does it hurt? I can get you Advil or…"

Her words were silenced with his mouth covering hers. His good arm reached around her middle and pulled her between his legs, his tongue pushing past her opened lips and tangling with hers. On instinct, her fingers threaded through his hair and held him to her, tasting the mint and the pure flavor of Edward on her lips. God, she had missed him.

"I have a housekeeper," he whispered against her lips.

With a furrowed brow, she pulled back, resting her hands on his broad shoulders. "What?"

He chuckled and pressed her closer. "I saw the look on your face when you came downstairs. How can a man be so clean, right? Or what about the two towels in the bathroom?"

Isabella closed her eyes and nodded.

"Well, that's the reason. Maria does her job thoroughly and always hangs two towels, no matter how often I remind her that it isn't necessary." Edward chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "She always insists that one day I will thank her."

His eyes locked on hers. "I do hope that one day I will thank her for leaving two towels in the bathroom."

Isabella had no response, only to kiss him again. In a quick move, Edward had her sitting on the counter top, his hands everywhere while he feasted on her lips.

"Fuck, woman. You drive a man crazy."

She chuckled, but it turned into a moan when his lips trailed down her neck and suckled on her collarbone. "Edward."

With a resigned sigh, he leaned his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry. I need to slow down. But baby, with you, slow is a word that doesn't work in my vocabulary."

Isabella smiled against his lips, pecking them twice. "Soon."

His gaze pierced hers. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

With a smile on her lips, she drove home that evening. Soon her smile fell, the familiar feeling of being watched creeping down her spine. She checked her mirrors constantly, never finding anything out of the ordinary or someone following her.

But that feeling was stronger than ever and she knew she'd have to talk to Edward about it soon.

Her suspicions were confirmed when Edward called to cancel their training two days later.

"Edward," She answered, smiling like a loon.

"Bella," he sighed, sounding angry.

"Edward, what is it?"

"I shouldn't even be calling you…"

Jasper's voice rang through the phone. "She deserves to know."

"Edward, you're scaring me," she confessed, fear coiling in her stomach and making her want to vomit.

"The office, our office, was torched this afternoon while we were installing cameras down at the docks."

"Oh my God!" Isabella gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth.

Rose stepped through the doors of her office with a questioning look on her face.

"Do you know who did it?" Isabella asked, her fingers trembling and her voice shaking.

Silence met her ears and she knew the answer. "Mike."

"We think so," Edward answered. "He's still in Seattle, but we have strong suspicions that he has someone here working for him."

Isabella didn't know what to say. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes and she squeezed them shut. She knew this day would come. She knew Mike would come to seek her out, by any means necessary. But who was working for him?

"Bella, I have to go give my statement to the police. Do you have someone that can stay with you during the night for the next few days?"

She loved the fact that he wasn't insinuating that he'd be the one to stay with her, still giving her space to adjust to her new free life.

Rose nodded, having heard bits and pieces of their conversation. "She'll stay with me," she spoke into the receiver, giving Isabella a look that said 'don't argue with me.'

"Good," Edward agreed, quickly bidding her goodbye with a promise to call once he knew more.

"That ex of yours sure doesn't know what the word no, means, does he?"

Isabella shook her head. "He doesn't take it well when something gets taken away from him." She had told Rose bits and pieces about her failed marriage and to her surprise, Rose never questioned her about anything.

"Bastard thinks you're his property or something?" Rose growled through gritted teeth.

Isabella nodded, her eyes fixed on the fabric on the table. She wasn't going to finish it today; her hands shook too much.

"Well, let him come, baby," Rose sneered, grabbing Bella's purse and ushering her out the door. "We'll show him who his nuts belong to."

* * *

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	17. Surrender

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _Surrender_ _by George Canyon  
One moment ago,  
I thought that I'd never surrender.  
Never came close to thinking  
I'd ever surrender  
But you're making me believe  
I can surrender now_

Chapter 16

A knock sounded at the door.

The door swung open with force. "Detective?"

"Are you Edward?" The officer asked.

Edward nodded. "Yeah." His brow furrowed. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm Detective Emmett McCarty with HPD. Can I come in and ask you a few questions?"

Edward stepped aside and let the man in, closing the door softly. "I mean no disrespect, but we answered all the questions the arson investigator had."

Detective McCarty nodded. "I'm not here about the fire." He tapped the manila folder on his fist. "This came across my desk a little while ago and your name was on top of the list."

Edward took the outstretched file and opened it. "James," he gasped, his gaze snapping up to meet the McCarty's. "What the hell happened?"

James Hunter had been his informant in Seattle, keeping tabs on Mike. Edward had met him that evening after his encounter with Mike at the hole-in-the-wall bar near his motel. Having observed James for a few moments as he was sitting at the far end of the bar, Edward had approached him. A few beers in, James had discussed his financial problems; needing to find work quickly to pay for lingering loans. Needing to keep an _eye_ on Mike, Edward had offered him the job.

Now he was dead.

"Seattle police found him floating along the coastline. You were the last number he dialed. How do you know this man?" Detective McCarty pointed to the photo, raising a questioning brow.

"He… um…" Edward cleared his throat, his eyes glued to the lifeless man in the photograph. "I hired him to keep an eye on someone for me." His eyes widened and his breath quickened. "Bella!"

Before the detective could ask any further questions, Edward bolted out the door and into his car.

"Edward!" Detective McCarty called, placing his hand on the door before Edward could shut it. "Where are you going?"

Edward squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Detective, that _someone_ I had James keep an eye on, is a very dangerous son of a bitch. If James is dead that means that fucker is here on the island and I know he's gonna hurt her."

The detective's hand tightened on the door when Edward pulled to close it. "Hurt who, Edward?"

"Bella. The bastard's name is Mike Newton and his ex-wife is here on the island. She left him and he can't accept that. He's gonna hurt her… kill her, if I don't hurry."

"I'll follow you." Detective McCarty stated, noting the anxious tremor in Edward's voice, and released the door. He slid into his own car, following Edward through the streets of Honolulu.

Edward prayed that they weren't too late.

-T-T-T-

"I'll be just a second," Isabella said over her shoulder as she exited the car.

Closing the door of the house, she leaned back against it, closing her eyes and taking a shuddering breath.

 _Will it ever end?_

Her mind spun, Edward's news about the fire and his suspicion about Mike's involvement running through her mind. What game was Mike playing?

Releasing her breath, she quickly made her way up the stairs and into her room, opening the closet to retrieve the duffel bag in the corner. A hand clasped over her mouth as she straightened.

Isabella's back stiffened as Mike's cologne wafted up her nose. She shrieked against his hand.

"You honestly didn't think I'd just let you walk out of my life, did you?"

Fear prickled down Isabella's spine, tears gathering in her eyes.

"I gave you everything. Everything," he hissed in her ear, the scruff on his cheeks scratching against hers. "And that wasn't enough for you!"

His palm pressed hard against her mouth, making her whimper in pain.

"You are mine, bitch," he seethed, his lips moving down her neck. "No one walks away from me without my consent!"

Mike turned her around and walked her towards the bed, pushing against her legs when Isabella resisted. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she prayed to any god listening that Rose would come to find her.

"Now, you will be a good wife and please your husband." Mike bent her at the waist, pushing her chest into the mattress. "Make a sound and your friend is dead." He released the hold he had over her mouth and pressed her arms into the mattress.

Isabella's eyes widened and she gasped into his hand, turning her head to look at him.

Mike sneered. "That's right, sweetheart. I've watched you, too. I know where you work, your _friends_ and your _fuckbuddy_ ," he spat, his lips curling in distaste.

Isabella whimpered, her mind flying to Edward. Was that the reason for the fire?

"What does he have that I don't?" Mike reached around her waist and popped the button on her jeans.

"Mike," she whimpered. "Please."

"Shh," he hushed, pressing a finger to her lips, his own curling into a smile as his eyes roamed over her body. "I must confess, my interest in you is renewed now that you're my ex- _wife_." One hand slid up her arm, down her back and over the curve of her backside. He palmed it roughly. "You're still a hot piece of ass."

He chuckled humourlessly, his fingers digging into her flesh, causing her to whimper in pain. "Oh, and I wanted to let you know, I was aware that you had someone keeping tabs on me."

Her brows furrowed. "But I don't have anyone watching you." She hoped that her innocence act would work.

"Whatever you say," he breathed, unbuttoning his shirt and pulling it from his pants. "I'm not an idiot, darling."

Mike leaned over her body, his breath hot in her ear. "Stay still," he warned and slowly released her other arm, moving to push down her jeans.

Isabella concentrated on her breathing – in and out, in and out. Her eyes closed, hearing his zipper come undone. The training she had done with Edward came to mind.

She needed to fight.

Her hands balled into fists and her eyes popped open. In a swift move, she had pushed herself from the bed, knocking her head back into Mike's nose. He howled in pain and stumbled back, his hands over his nose. Isabella watched proudly as blood oozed out from beneath his fingers.

"You bitch!" He seethed, straightening and coming towards her.

She drew her arm back, curled her hand into a fist and punched him in his throat. Mike stumbled back again, regaining his footing. Isabella kicked out her leg, intending to kick him in his stomach when he grabbed her leg and spun her towards the floor. The back of her head connected with the floor, causing a sharp pain to shoot through her skull.

Mike quickly straddled her legs and pulled a gun from behind his back, having kept it in the back of his pants. "Oh no, you don't," he warned, pressing the nuzzle against her temple.

Isabella's eyes widened as she stared up at the man before her. He stared back, his nose bloodied and his breathing ragged.

Suddenly, the door to the bedroom swung open, and Edward and another man Isabella didn't recognize came bursting through.

"HPD. Drop your weapon," the man ordered, pointing a gun at Mike.

Edward inched towards Isabella, his eyes trained on the gun pressed against her temple.

"Stop," Mike barked. "You move another inch and she dies!"

His movements stopped, his gaze meeting Isabella's. The adrenaline from earlier had worn off and now, tears slid down her temple and into her hair. The cold metal of the gun dug into her skull, and yet, she couldn't take her eyes off Edward.

His jaw was clenched and his hands balled into fists at his side. God, he felt helpless.

"Mr. Newton," Detective McCarty said slowly. "This doesn't have to end this way. Lower your gun and we can talk."

Mike's angry gaze met the detective's. "Talk?" He huffed out a humorless laugh, trailing a finger down Isabella's cheek. "There's nothing to talk about. She is mine and I will be leaving with her."

Edward growled and took a step forward.

Mike turned his head slowly, a lopsided menacing grin on his face as he observed the rigid stance of Edward's posture. "I can see the appeal," he drawled. The sound of police sirens shifted his focus to the window for a second before he looked back at Isabella.

"If I can't have you," he whispered lowly. "Then he sure as fuck can't!" His back straightened and his grip on the gun tightened.

"Mr. Newton! Drop your gun!" Detective McCarty shouted, raising his gun again. "You don't want to do this."

"Oh, I do want to do this," Mike growled, his finger pressing against the trigger.

Isabella squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the inevitable.

BANG! BANG!

She flinched harshly, her eyes squeezing tighter. Everything was quiet for a moment.

"Bella!" Edward's frantic voice reached her ears and she opened her eyes slowly to see him hovering over her. "Thank God, you're okay," he whispered, running his hands over her face and hair.

"Mike," she croaked out, her eyes focusing on Mike's body and the detective at his side, making a phone call.

He shook his head, causing her eyes to draw to the lifeless body at her feet. Blood oozed from the wound in his chest, spreading along the floor in a big red puddle.

Detective McCarty ended the call on his phone and squeezed her shoulder lightly. "Ms. Swan. I'm Detective Emmett McCarty. Are you okay?"

The gentleness of his tone caused Isabella's shoulders to relax. "I'm fine, thank you."

He smiled softly, the corners of his ocean blue eyes crinkling. "Emmett." He exhaled slowly, "I will have to take your statement later, if that's okay."

"Is that really necessary?" Edward asked, irritation lacing his tone.

Isabella turned to him, squeezing his fingers. "It's fine, Edward. I just want to get this over with. Better sooner than later."

She smiled softly hoping to appease him, but he only nodded towards the detective, returning the squeeze on her fingers.

"Ms. Swan…"

"Bella is fine, Detective."

"Bella, do you know a guy named Jacob Black?"

Her brows furrowed as she followed the two men downstairs, letting the coroner and other officers into the room to take care of Mike.

"Jake? I met him on my flight from Seattle when I left Mike, and he was also at the car dealership where I bought my car. Why?"

In the kitchen, Edward turned to her. "You knew this _guy_ and you failed to mention it?" His fingers tugged at the ends of his hair in frustration.

"Edward," Detective McCarty warned. "I will be asking the questions." He turned back to Isabella. "Mr. Black was hired by Mr. Newton to keep an eye on you. Mr. Whitlock just confirmed that he was the one responsible for the fire. We found him pointing a gun at Ms. Hale when we arrived."

"Jake?" Isabella gasped. "How…?" She leaned heavily against the counter. "I thought he was nice. He was the first one I met that didn't know anything about me." She huffed, "Well, at least, so I thought."

"I'm sorry, Bella," Emmett apologized. "But he is very good at his job. I had an associate of mine run his face through the system and he goes by many names. He's a con, Bella. This isn't the first time he's done something like this, but thankfully, we've caught him and he will be going away for a long time."

He excused himself when another officer asked for his assistance. "I will be back later to wrap this up."

Isabella nodded, her gaze catching Edward's. Silently, the couple stood in the kitchen as the craziness around them ensued. Relief shone in his eyes, mixed with irritation and frustration.

"It's really over?" She asked quietly.

He nodded, taking a step towards her, cupping her face in his hand and running his thumb over her dry cheek. "It's over," he confirmed.

"Bella!" Rose's shrill voice rang through the house and Isabella turned to watch her friend, and boss, push away the officer's arm, running towards her.

"Bella, dammit," she cried, crushing Isabella's body to hers. "I'm so sorry."

"No, don't," Isabella whimpered, wrapping her arms around Rose. "There's nothing you could have done."

Rose drew back, her eyes misty with unshed tears. "He had a gun. As soon as you closed the door, he was there, pointing a gun at me."

"I know," Isabella nodded, her voice quiet and clogged with tears, the reality of the situation weighing down on her like a pile of bricks.

Rose sniffed and wiped away a stray tear from Isabella's cheek. "Are you okay?"

Isabella sniffed and nodded, watching the coroner wheel out a black bag, knowing it was Mike's body. "I'm fine. It's over now. I'm fine."

"It really is over," Rose agreed, wrapping her arm around Isabella and guiding her out the door into the night.

-T-T-T-

Isabella wrapped her arms around her _mother-in-law,_ watching Mike's casket being lowered into the ground. She breathed deeply and blinked away the tears, as Jane sniffed against her shoulder.

It had been over a week since the incident that took Mike's life. Even though Detective McCarty's actions were justified, Isabella still hadn't wanted Mike to die.

As the investigation into Jake's involvement with Mike ensued, Isabella had been questioned about every moment of her marriage to Mike. She had felt exposed, raw and the fact that Mike was truly gone had hit her hard. Every one of her friends, including Edward, had constantly been at her side, reminding her that she wasn't alone.

The feeling of being smothered had pushed her over the edge on the fourth day. She had just gotten off the phone with Mike's mother, after stating for the tenth time that she would explain Mike's death to them once she was in Seattle. Then, once again, all of her friends had given her the sad eyes and started with the ' _You're not alone,' 'We're here for you'_ spiel.

The tight rope on her patience had snapped and she had screamed at everyone to leave her alone for once. Edward had been reluctant to go, but the look on her face and her insistence on wanting to be alone, caused him to leave.

Before the door had closed, he had pressed a key to his condo into her hand, telling her that she had a place to go if she needed it.

That first night in Seattle, Isabella had sat down with Mike's parents and told them the entire story. Mike's change in behavior over the years and then what had happened in Hawaii, Edward and the divorce. Many tears were shed, questions asked, but to Isabella's surprise, neither Marcus nor Jane had displayed any hatred towards her.

Before the funeral, Marcus had pulled Isabella aside and handed her a cheque for seventy-five million dollars. She had shaken her head and pushed it back into his hand. "No, Mr. Newton. I can't accept that."

With a smile, he had pushed the cheque back into her hand. "Yes, you can and you will. Either you take this money or I will transfer this amount to your account before you're back in Honolulu."

With tears in her eyes, she had stuffed the cheque into her purse and wrapped her arms around Marcus, letting another round of tears fall.

As she walked towards the black limo waiting to take them to the reception, she thought about the key in her purse.

God, she missed Edward.

Missed his warmth.

The security of being with him and his body.

She cast a last look over her shoulder at Mike's grave, saying her final goodbye to her past life. Squeezing Jane's hand, she smiled softly, knowing that everything would be okay. Isabella had a whole new life ahead of her, and Edward was going to be a big part of it.

* * *

 **A/N: So, that happened. What did you guys think of this chapter? Mike? Emmett? Did you suspect Jake?  
**

 **One more chapter/epilogue to go and these two can have their HEA. Yay!**

 **I do have another story that I had submitted to the Control. Possess. Seduce. Contest and it won 2 awards. Yay! It's posted on my profile and it will continue. If you'd like, join me. Title: More than Skin Deep.  
**

 **Thanks for reading. xoxo**


	18. Epilogue - New favorite Memory

**A/N: SM owns all things Twilight. I'm just playing with her characters.**

 **Thank you Fran for taking the time to edit all my mistakes, commas and spelling errors.  
**

 **Twimom1960,** **klcivinski, and NKubie are my pre-readers and encouragement team. You guys are awesome. Thank you for your time and effort.**

* * *

 _New favorite Memory_ _by Brad Paisley  
You're fumbling around in the bedroom,  
Trying to put on your shoes.  
Hair still down, dress half on,  
Looking like you're about to blow a fuse.  
I know what's about to happen,  
I can read you like a book,  
You're about to shoot that cute little "yeah, we're late" look…_

Chapter 17 – Epilogue

Lightning streaked across the sky, the clouds looking more threatening with each minute.

She leaned against the floor to ceiling window and traced a heart on the glass as she watched him stride across the courtyard with purposeful steps.

She smiled and dimmed the lights; loosening the belt to her robe and exposing her cleavage, hoping he would like the surprise. With her right foot propped against the window, revealing her freshly waxed leg, she watched the door, her heartbeat increasing in tempo.

Rain began to pelt against the window.

The lock clicked, the door opened without a creak and a silent sigh escaped her lips. He was so beautiful … and he was hers.

Home.

He put his briefcase by the door and placed his mail on the counter. God, he missed her. One more day and she'd be back in his arms.

Where she belonged.

He loosened his tie and turned to look out the window at the approaching thunderstorm. It matched his mood perfectly.

Dark, angry and destructive.

His fingers paused on the top button of his shirt, frozen at the beautiful sight in front of him.

"Hi," she whispered quietly.

The weight on his shoulders dropped at the sound of her voice and he strode across the room to his beautiful angel dressed in white.

Her back straightened against the window, her heart hammering in her chest. She knew that look on her lover's face.

Possessive.

His lips caught her gasp and he lifted her hips, securing her legs around his waist and pushing her back against the window with a thud. The cold glass pressed against her back, but she barely felt it, concentrating as his lips erased the past few days from her mind.

Normally, he would be worried about hurting her, but he was lost in her taste, her smell, and softness.

His tongue stroked hers and dominated her mouth, licking and sucking on her soft lips. His large fingers squeezed her rounded curves and she bucked her hips against his hardening cock.

With a moan, he flexed his body into hers, which sent a jolt of pleasure down her spine; he drew back, dropping a soft kiss to her wet, swollen lips.

"You're here."

She smiled and caressed his stubble-covered cheek. "I am."

His smoldering green eyes traveled down her face to her cleavage and to her legs wrapped around his hips. Fuck, he loved the view.

"I couldn't wait," she whispered and kissed his cheek. Her fingers began to open his shirt, exposing his chiseled chest to her hungry eyes.

She moaned and his eyes snapped back to hers. "I'm glad, because neither could I. Fuck, I love you."

Isabella pushed his shirt off his shoulders and lightly ran her fingernails across his torso, sending a shiver through his body.

He needed her.

He needed her like the air he breathed.

She moaned his name as she undid his belt. "I love you, too. Now, please..."

She didn't need to finish, his need for her pushing against the zipper of his pants. He yanked her robe open, thanking every god in the universe that she was naked underneath.

"Beautiful," he whispered softly. She always would be.

Reaching into his opened trousers, he grabbed his cock and gave it a squeeze before running it through her wet folds.

Kissing her lips once more, his green eyes met her brown ones. "Baby, I promise to love you properly later, but now I need to fuck you. I've missed you too damn much."

She pushed her hips towards him, and the tip of his cock slid into her entrance. His neck strained and he fought against the urge to press forward. But he needed her consent.

Her fingers yanked on his hair and she bit his lower lip. "Fuck me. Fuck me hard. I need you."

His hips thrust forward, burying himself in her wet heat with a loud groan. Isabella's legs tightened around his waist and her teeth sunk into his shoulder, masking her scream of pleasure.

She was so full. Sex with this beautiful man felt as if it was the first time with him, every time. He stretched her and filled her like no one ever had.

She loved it.

His tongue fucked her mouth like his cock was fucking her pussy.

Dominant and powerful.

"So tight. So fucking good," He groaned and leaned his forehead against hers, his eyes watching his cock slide into her heat. Her pert breasts jostled with their movement and he latched on to her tightened bud, licking and sucking as if he was dying of thirst.

"I'm so close," she moaned, watching him disappear inside her.

His movements began to quicken and his fingers circled her clit. Isabella shook in his arms, her mouth open and her wide eyes on his.

"I've got you," he moaned, his orgasm reaching its peak. "Always."

With their lips joined, they fell over the edge together, holding on to one another like their life depended on it. They clung to each other, sighing in contentment as their breathing relaxed from their intense orgasms.

Sliding to the carpeted floor, he buried his nose in her soft hair and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "God, I missed you."

Her lips touched the pulse point on his neck. "I missed you, too. But it's over now. No more trips without you. Agreed?"

He chuckled and ran his fingertips over her temple and down her cheek, cupping her neck. "Agreed," he whispered against her lips.

He'd agree to anything when it came to her.

He carried her through his apartment and into the bathroom, setting her on the counter as he ran the water. He could feel her eyes on him as he moved about the room and he smiled, loving her attention.

With her back to his chest, they settled into the warm water. Edward held her close, stroking her arms and kissing her exposed neck.

She sighed and sank further into his arms. "It was eight months ago that we met, so today is some sort of anniversary for us. And remember it was thundering that night, too. And when you touched my hand, I felt a shock. I blamed it on the weather."

He tensed, the previous months not forgotten. "I ..."

She turned to face him. "We're passed all that. Please forgive yourself."

His eyes squeezed shut. "I'm trying, but you have to know how much I wish I could go back; back to when I first met you and make it right."

Her soft hand stroked his cheek. "But, then we wouldn't have met. And you do make it right. Your love is enough."

"You were so beautiful, yet so broken, so vulnerable, so lost, and I took advantage. God, I can't believe I fell for those lies. I thought you were going to be so easy to crush. But …"

"You had no way of knowing." She shuddered at the thought and he held her tighter.

"And don't forget you literally saved me from that oncoming car. That proved to me you were a good man. Maybe a good man with a horrible job, but again, you were doing what you were paid to do."

He let out the breath he was holding and thought back to that fateful day, eight months ago. He remembered the rain, the thunder, the way the light fell on her hair making the color seem so perfect. He remembered her eyes; scared; like a deer in the headlights. And he remembered the shock he felt when he grabbed her arm.

He broke out of his musing, nodded and kissed her lips. "Thank you, for your love and forgiveness. I will spend the rest of my life making you happy."

Relaxing again, she thought back to when she met her match.

The man that she loved.

The man who possessed her mind, body and most importantly, her heart.

-T-T-T-

 _Alice's Wedding Day_

Edward watched in the mirror, trying to tie the fucking bow-tie, but his eyes were focused on Isabella. She flitted around his - _their_ \- bedroom, her hair still down and damp from their shower. Her dress was half on and she fumbled to put on her shoes.

He grinned, loving to watch her so at home having only moved in a few weeks ago. That first night they had met seemed so long ago, when in reality it was less than a year.

Isabella's eyes met his in the mirror and her eyebrow arched, silently chastising him for making them late. Edward shrugged a shoulder and grinned at her. He wasn't sorry for joining her in the shower and 'helping' her wash her soft skin.

"Can you get me my hair clip from my purse?" She asked softly, the hard look having melted from her face after he had smiled at her.

He nodded, finally getting that stupid bow-tie in place and properly tied. Edward hurried into the kitchen and emptied the contents of her purse onto the counter. His eyes fell on the slip of paper resembling a cheque.

His eyes widened. Quickly grabbing her clip, Edward hurried into their bedroom. "Bella, what's this?" He showed her the cheque.

"Oh, that?" She asked innocently, brushing back her hair.

"Yes, this!" Edward exclaimed, waving the cheque in front of her face.

"Marcus gave that to me. I haven't decided if I should deposit it or just tear it up." Still, she remained unfazed.

"But why did it he give it to you?" Edward asked, placing the cheque on their dresser. Bella tried but failed to zip her dress when she turned her back to him, silently asking him for help.

Her shoulders shrugged and she turned back to face him, smiling softly. "I think it was some kind of consolation for what his son had done. I didn't want to accept it, not wanting a payout since I had chosen to accept Mike's marriage proposal, but he assured me if I didn't, he would transfer the money to my account. I figured this was the easiest way, to just accept it." She pointed to the slip of paper.

Edward nodded. "That was very generous of him."

Isabella snorted. "Way too generous, if you ask me, but that's Marcus. Generous as the day is bright."

"It will remain a mystery how such a vile man as Mike could come from a father like Marcus." Edward shook his head.

"Yeah," Isabella nodded. "But he wasn't always that way. It's a shame that greed clouded his mind."

After a silent moment, remembering the man that brought them together, Edward grinned. "We could travel the world with money like that. Buy a house in Italy, drink wine every day."

Isabella giggled, brushing past him towards the door. "Come on, dreamer. We have a wedding to attend. get to."

At the door, Edward spun her to face him, again kissing her lips soundly, pressing her against the still closed door. "I love you, Isabella Swan."

She smiled, wiping lipstick from his lips. "I love you, too, Edward Masen Cullen."

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 **A/N: And that's a wrap, ladies. I hope you've enjoyed it and hope to see you for my new story ' _More than Skin Deep.'_ Check out the first chapter posted.  
**

 **Thanks for all the love you've shown for this little story. You guys are truly amazing and have made me smile on many bad days. xoxo**


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